On the evening of October 9, 2026, in the 27th round of the Chinese Super League at Qingdao Youth Football Stadium, Qingdao Hainiu lost 0-3 at home to Beijing Guoan. After ten straight league defeats, the team was relegated three rounds early. Fabio scored a brace, and Serginho headed in a goal. Beijing Guoan ended its three consecutive draws and temporarily climbed to second place. This marked the second time Qingdao Hainiu were relegated after losing to Beijing Guoan, following the same fate in 2013. With only 14 points from 27 matches,

Qingdao Hainiu’s coach Ristić attributed the poor performance to players’ limited ability, while seeing promise in young talents. He plans to keep promising players and discuss reconstruction with the club. The side returned to the CSL in 2023 and won four games in a row this season, but injuries and suspensions to foreign players caused a sharp slump. Fans chanted slogans at the stadium to cheer for the team after the game.