In April, Chinese President Xi Jinping raised an intriguing question during a visit to a humanoid robotics company: could robots help improve China’s struggling men’s soccer team? Xi’s question, noted on Zhiyuan Robotics’ website, may come too late as China faces the threat of being eliminated from World Cup qualification should they fail against Indonesia on Thursday. Even a win might only stave off elimination temporarily.
Despite being home to 1.4 billion people and having a robust economy, China’s men’s soccer performance remains dismal compared to their tally of 40 Olympic gold medals in Paris last year, which tied with the United States. The challenge lies in fielding 11 top-tier soccer players among the vast population.
The overarching influence of the Chinese government pervades every sector, a strategy that has successfully transformed China into a manufacturing powerhouse. However, this top-down approach has faltered in improving soccer. According to Chinese journalist and commentator Zhang Feng, such governance stifles the sport’s growth due to a lack of freedom and trust necessary for team dynamics. Zhang notes that political intervention, coupled with expectations from Xi—an avid soccer enthusiast committed to rejuvenating the sport—paradoxically adds pressure rather than resolve the situation. In soccer, a “world language,” China struggles with the “grammar,” as Zhang puts it.
Xi’s dream to uplift soccer was humorously touched on following a narrow victory over Thailand in 2023, where Xi mentioned feeling luck played a significant role. Observers agree: China lacks grassroots talent development, faces political meddling, and contends with pervasive local corruption. Prominent commentator Wang Xiaolei highlights that soccer conflicts with China’s bureaucratic ethos, rooted in rote learning rather than fostering initiative or passion.
Illustrating the dire state of Chinese men’s soccer, a 7-0 defeat by Japan last year underscored the game’s deep-seated issues, as noted by Cameron Wilson, a long-term China resident and soccer writer. China has only made it to one World Cup—2002—and remains low in FIFA rankings.
Despite the World Cup expanding to 48 teams in 2026, China’s path to qualification remains fraught. They must overcome Indonesia and Bahrain to stay in contention for the next Asia qualifying phase.
Rowan Simons, an English soccer commentator in China for nearly four decades, suggests recent grassroots reforms may eventually yield positive outcomes. However, soccer culture engenders civic engagement and independent club development—elements hindered in China by potential political threats. Sports often take a backseat in Chinese educational priorities, emphasizing academic achievement over athletic pursuits.
On a brighter note, the Chinese women’s soccer team has fared better historically, achieving a runner-up position in the 1999 Women’s World Cup. Yet, they, too, face growing competition as European women’s teams benefit from established male soccer expertise.
Economically, China’s strategic Olympic sports choices—prioritizing disciplines delivering multiple medals through rigorous training—contrast with soccer’s singular medal opportunity. Consequently, sports like diving and table tennis receive priority.
Detecting deeper systemic issues, corruption mars domestic leagues. Former national team coach Li Tie received a 20-year sentence for bribery and match-fixing, and several administrators face similar charges. Domestic clubs, supported by state-backed financial interests and previously buoyed by the now-faltering real estate sector, faced their reckoning, with clubs like Guangzhou Evergrande dissolving due to crippling debts.
Zhang observes that investments in soccer often served political ends, exemplified by real estate figure Hui Ka-yan’s role in Guangzhou Evergrande’s rise and fall. This, combined with concerns over soccer’s marred integrity, deters parental encouragement of youth participation, as Simons reflects. The lack of grassroots growth, amid international and local challenges, leaves a cloud over the future of men’s soccer in China.