The Chinese men’s national U23 football team has made a significant return to the continental stage, securing a coveted spot in the semi-finals of the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026. This achievement marks a historic breakthrough for Chinese football, as it is the first time in over two decades – precisely 21 years and 111 days – that a Chinese youth team has reached the Top 4 of a major regional Asian competition.
Hosted in Saudi Arabia, the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2026 has progressed to its penultimate stage, with China joining Vietnam, South Korea, and defending champions Japan in the semi-finals. China’s journey to this point included a thrilling quarter-final victory over Uzbekistan on January 17, 2026. After a tense 120 minutes of play concluded with a 0-0 stalemate, China emerged victorious in the penalty shootout, winning 4-2. This crucial win propelled them into the last four, reigniting hopes for the nation’s footballing future.
The upcoming semi-final clashes, scheduled for the evening of January 20th, will see China face Vietnam, while South Korea will go head-to-head with Japan.
The last time Chinese football celebrated a semi-final appearance at this level was in the AFC U19 Asian Cup of 2004 (a tournament now contested at the U20 age group). In that memorable campaign, China advanced by defeating Malaysia 3-0 in the quarter-finals, then overcame Syria 1-0 in the semi-finals, before ultimately losing 2-0 to South Korea in the final match. The year 2004 stood out as a remarkably successful period for Chinese football across multiple age groups. Besides the U19 team’s final run, the senior national team also reached the final of the AFC Asian Cup that year, where they were defeated 3-1 by Japan. Furthermore, the U16 Asian Cup saw China clinch the championship by beating North Korea 1-0.
Following that golden year, Chinese football experienced a prolonged period of decline. From 2004 until 2013, the nation’s youth teams struggled to advance beyond the quarter-final stage in Asian competitions. The subsequent decade, from 2013 to 2025, witnessed an even sharper downturn, with Chinese teams frequently failing to progress past the group stages. This recent victory over Uzbekistan and subsequent semi-final qualification thus represents a significant break from this trend, offering a much-needed boost.
Head coach of the China U23 team, Antonio Puche, shared his team’s excitement, recounting the fervent celebrations in the locker room following their quarter-final triumph. This resurgence is widely regarded as a positive new signal for Chinese football, which has grappled with underperformance for over two decades. Previous attempts to revitalize the sport, such as the initiative in 2013 to bring numerous foreign players into the Chinese Super League to enhance local talent, unfortunately, did not yield the desired results, with the domestic football scene instead becoming plagued by issues of corruption.
