In the early hours of May 13, Beijing time, the U17 Asian Cup continued in Saudi Arabia. Goals from He Sifan and Zhang Bolin powered China’s U17 squad to a 2-0 victory over Qatar, securing their spot in the U17 World Cup for the first time in 21 years. Following the match, the Chinese Football team’s official social media account shared a message of encouragement.
“It was a voyage against the wind, a battle with no retreat. China’s U-17 men’s national team has advanced from the group stage and qualified for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar! The journey is long—watch our young riders set off once more!” the post read.
This marks the first time a Chinese national men’s football team at any youth level has reached a world championship since 2005, ending a 21-year drought. The young squad will now travel to Qatar in November for the U-17 World Cup.