The Red Lions spent the initial three years of their existence in the fourth tier, before gaining promotion to the third division known as China League Two ahead of the 2019 season.

The club badge consists of a shield containing a lion's head —a symbol for strength— and Wuyue Feng (May Wind), the iconic monument on Qingdao's May Fourth Square.

In the 2017 Qingdao Super League the club played its home games at the newly developed football pitch within the Fushan Mountain Ecological Park.

In the 2016 football season Qingdao Red Lions played their home games in a stadium with 10.000 seat capacity, located on the premises of a factory in Chengyang district.

Both Adelaide and Qingdao based clubs are owned by current chairman, Piet van der Pol and the goal of the partnership is to give more opportunities to Chinese players.

Then Director of Football Bruce Djite has said, "The idea is to develop Chinese players to create stronger links between us and Qingdao Red Lions.