With players drafted from home and abroad, a newly-established baseball league is stepping up to the plate to promote the sport's niche profile in China, while expanding career pathways for enthusiasts in the country.

With all of its five founding clubs fully funded by enterprises, the inaugural edition of the Chinese Professional Baseball league, which will swing off its 2026 spring season on Jan 1, is breathing new life into the sport's promotion in China by creating more competition opportunities for both amateurs and pros with an ambition to evolve into a full-fledged, home-and-away professional program in three years.

The CPB league, operated and promoted by Shanghai-based Coolbang Sports, will open the 2026 edition on the New Year's Day with five clubs, namely the Changsha Want Want Happy, Xiamen Dolphins, Shenzhen Bluesox, Fuzhou Sea Knights, and Shanghai Dragons, to play a total of 40 regular-season games through Feb 4, according to a news conference held in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, on Wednesday.