[3] The season was scheduled to begin on 22 February and to end on 31 October,[4] but was postponed following the COVID-19 pandemic.

[5] On 1 July 2020, the Chinese Football Association announced that the season would be split into two stages.

In the first stage, which began on 25 July 2020 and concluded on 29 September 2020, 16 teams were split into two groups in two locations, one in Dalian and the other in Suzhou.

[6][7] On 2 September 2020, the Chinese Football Association announced that the second stage would begin on 16 October 2020 and conclude on 12 November 2020.

[8] Jiangsu Suning beat defending champions Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao 2–1 on aggregate in the finals to win their first-ever top flight title.

As a result, the fourth-placed Shanghai SIPG gained a place in the 2021 AFC Champions League along with Guangzhou and Beijing Sinobo Guoan, while Shijiazhuang Ever Bright avoided relegation.

Qingdao Huanghai compete in the Chinese Super League for the first time in the club's history.

Shenzhen were reprieved from relegation after finishing second-bottom due to the dissolution of Tianjin Tianhai.

The winners will qualify for the 2021 AFC Champions League group stage.

Wuhan Zall won 3–2 on aggregate and stayed in the Chinese Super League.