Despite a rocky road filled with twists and turns, China’s U17 national youth team (born in 2009) seized the historic opportunity, defeating Qatar 2-0 with goals from He Sifan and Zhang Bolin. The victory secured them second place in the group stage, advancing to the quarterfinals and earning a spot at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar this November. This achievement breaks a 21-year “curse” and allows Chinese football to proudly declare: the first half of 2026 is a success.
It has been 21 years since China’s last appearance at the U-17 World Cup, back in 2005 when the team finished seventh in Peru—the best result for any Chinese men’s national youth team in a global tournament. That squad, coached by Zhang Ning and featuring players like Wang Dalei, Deng Zhuoxiang, Yu Dabao, Yang Xu, and Li Zhuangfei, set a high bar that seemed unbeatable. Many coaches and young players have tried and failed to qualify in the years since, with some age groups even failing to reach the Asian finals. Now, this new generation has finally broken through, offering hope for the future of Chinese football.
The qualification journey was anything but smooth. China lost their opening match 0-1 to Indonesia and fell 1-2 to Japan, leaving them on the brink of elimination. However, the team showed resilience, refusing to let their spirits break. They also owed a debt of gratitude to Qatar, who defeated Indonesia in the second round, keeping China’s hopes alive. In the final group match, the young players made the most of their chance, securing the long-awaited ticket to the World Cup.
This success adds to a remarkable first half of 2026 for Chinese football. Earlier, the U23 national team reached the final of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup, winning silver—the country’s best result in 22 years. Meanwhile, the women’s national team, U20 women’s team, and U17 women’s team all advanced to the semifinals of their respective Asian Cups, qualifying for the Women’s World Cup, U-20 Women’s World Cup, and U-17 Women’s World Cup. For the first time in years, all five Chinese national youth teams have met their targets in Asian competitions.
While Chinese football still faces many challenges, the achievements of these young players provide a much-needed ray of hope. The 2009-born team has held the line, and the 2010-born squad is already following in their footsteps. It is a time to celebrate the progress and believe that Chinese football is slowly climbing back up.
