BEIJING - The Chinese men's volleyball league will resume next Thursday with 13 teams to compete behind closed doors.

Defending champions Shanghai and last season's runners-up Beijing are considered hot favorites as the league restarts in the city of Qinhuangdao, Hebei province, in a championship format.

In the last season's best-of-five finals, Shanghai swept Beijing 3-0 to land their 15th league title.

Only the first round matches of the 2019-20 season had been played on January 19 before the league was suspended due to the COVID-19 outbreak.