It employs a knockout system in which the winners of the first matches advance to the final, while the losing teams take part in a third place playoff.[1][9] The tournament format was partly modified for the 2017 edition, with no local team participating after the withdrawal of Shanghai SIPG.[10] A fourth Premier League club – Crystal Palace – agreed to take their place having avoided relegation and played alongside Liverpool, Leicester City, and West Bromwich Albion.[10] This marked the first time the tournament has featured teams solely from the Premier League.[11][12]