Chen Hong entered the field of professional football in China in 2000. Before that, he worked in education and journalism. At the end of 2000, chongqing lifan Group wholly acquired Qianwei Huandao Football Club and established chongqing lifan Football Club. Chen Hong was immediately transferred from a newspaper under Lifan Group to Lifan Football Club as the office director. In 2002, he was promoted to deputy general manager, and in 2004, he was promoted to executive deputy general manager, fully presiding over the daily work of the club. In 2006, he officially assumed the position of general manager. In the meantime, since 2002, he has concurrently served as the party branch secretary of Lifan Football Club and a member of Lifan Football Team.

During Chen Hong's tenure as the general manager of chongqing lifan Football Club, chongqing lifan Football Team sent a large number of international players to China National Team, China Olympic Team and China Youth Team, including Wei Xin, Fu Bin, Li Jian, Shi Jun, Wang Anzhi, Qingwu, Wang Xiang, Wang Kai, Zhou Lin, Wang Hua, Gan Rui, Huang Xiyang and Zhang Jian.

During Chen Hong's tenure as the general manager of chongqing lifan Football Club, the chongqing lifan Football Team experienced a stormy course from A to Super League and from relegation to Chongchao: In 2003, the A League was downgraded; In 2004, he bought Yunnan Hongta Team's Super League qualification to compete in the Super League; In 2006, the Super League was downgraded; In 2008, the last round of Chinese League A was successful; Re-entered the Super League in 2009.