The national soccer team of China is well underway on its mission to qualify for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in 2026. The country is currently ranked 88ᵗʰ according to the FIFA international rankings. China is currently part of Group C along with South Korea, Thailand, and Singapore in the second round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America.
China’s last and only-ever appearance in a World Cup tournament came during the 2002 edition, held in Japan and South Korea. Although the national team endured a challenging campaign, losing all three group stages without scoring a single goal, the experience has not been forgotten by the soccer fans in the country. Five editions of the grandest stage have passed since, but the Chinese national team is still looking for their next participation in the main event of the FIFA World Cup.
China’s journey to the 2026 FIFA World Cup
China will have to undergo a cumbersome path to achieve its dream of qualification. The Asian nation is currently competing in the second round, with three more to go. The eventual winner of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifiers will be drawn into the inter-confederation playoffs with teams from other parts of the globe. In their most recent game, the national team was only able to manage a 1-1 draw with Thailand, leaving their fate open as they head into the last match of the round against South Korea.
Led by Branko Ivankovic, China has earned eight points from five fixtures in round two. Striker Lei Wu has undoubtedly been the key man for them, scoring five out of their nine goals. Their backline, however, has been the major drawback, failing to keep a single clean sheet until now. Despite that, avoiding a defeat against South Korea will ensure China’s progress to the next round in the AFC World Cup qualifiers.
Behram Abduweli’s crucial goal on debut against Thailand
Thailand outplayed China for large parts of their game, shutting down any attacking threat from their opponents. The visitors took a lead after just 20 minutes, thanks to a goal from Supachok Sarachart. To make matters worse, Fernando Conceicao even missed a penalty for China, sinking them even further. When the veterans were unable to make an impact, it was a 21-year-old debutant who came to China’s aid.
Behram Abduweli was introduced by the coach, Branko Ivankovic as a first-half substitute for Tianyi Gao. The striker leveled the score for his country with less than a quarter of an hour to go, with a clean and composed finish. Abduweli’s second-half strike can go a long way in ensuring that China does not suffer elimination in the second round itself, thus continuing their World Cup qualification ambition.