China's national football team faced a devastating 7-0 defeat to Japan in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers, marking their worst loss in qualifying history. The match, held in Saitama, saw Japan's Wataru Endo and Kaoru Mitoma score in the first half, followed by two goals from Takumi Minamino and additional strikes from Junya Ito, Daizen Maeda, and Takefusa Kubo. Despite this humiliating loss, China's head coach Branko Ivankovic viewed the experience as a valuable lesson for his relatively inexperienced squad, which includes 12 players new to international competition. The defeat raises serious concerns about China's ambitions to qualify for their first World Cup since 2002, with their next match against Saudi Arabia scheduled for September 10. Meanwhile, Japan's victory sets a strong tone for their qualification campaign, as they capitalize on a significant opening round. The loss adds pressure on China, who are currently in Group C alongside strong teams including Australia and Saudi Arabia.