Chinese Football Association Plans National Esports Football Team After World Cup Miss

Following the men's national football team's failure to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the subsequent sacking of head coach Branko Ivanković, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) announced plans to form a national esports football team to compete in FIFA and AFC-sanctioned virtual tournaments. This initiative represents a strategic pivot towards esports, capitalizing on China's booming sector with 490 million users and $38.5 billion in annual revenue in 2024. The CFA is inviting cities across China to apply as host locations to provide training facilities, logistical support, and funding, with applicants required to have experience in esports event organization and the capacity to support professional teams. The move mirrors global trends, with other football federations like Portugal's also exploring national esports competitions. While some Chinese football fans express optimism about this new direction, others remain skeptical given the setbacks in traditional football. The CFA's esports team aims to compete on platforms aligned with FIFA's current esports ecosystem, though uncertainties remain due to FIFA's split from EA Sports.