- China's ambition to become a global football force lies in tatters
- The struggles on the pitch continued with a recent 2-0 loss to Australia
- A key government report in 2015 recognized the need for the Chinese Football Association
China’s ambition to become a global football force lies in tatters, starkly contrasting with its status as the world’s most populous nation and its powerful economy.
Currently ranked a lowly 90th by FIFA, behind Curaçao and Luxembourg, the national team has endured a series of humiliating defeats.
A recent 7-0 thrashing by Japan in a World Cup qualifier marked China’s worst-ever loss in the competition, following a year of defeats against nations like Oman, Uzbekistan, and Hong Kong. This “rock-bottom” performance was compounded by a widening corruption scandal within the domestic game, leading to the arrest of numerous individuals for gambling, match-fixing, and bribery.
The struggles on the pitch continued with a recent 2-0 loss to Australia, solidifying China’s position at the bottom of their World Cup qualifying group.
These setbacks represent a significant fall from the ambitious goals set by President Xi Jinping, an avid football fan. Upon taking power in 2012, Xi launched a drive to transform Chinese football, expressing his “three wishes”: for China to qualify for, host, and ultimately win the World Cup.
However, over a decade later, even Xi has seemingly acknowledged the lack of progress. Despite the Communist Party’s track record of success in other sectors, football has proven a difficult challenge.
A key government report in 2015 recognized the need for the Chinese Football Association (CFA) to have “legal autonomy” and be “independent” from government control. While even Xi appeared to acknowledge the need for the Party to relinquish some control, Beijing has ultimately not fully done so, hindering the development of a thriving football culture.
