In a dramatic turn of events, China’s U17 football team secured a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Qatar in the final group stage match of the AFC U17 Asian Cup on May 13, 2026. With this win, China finished second in Group A and qualified for the FIFA U17 World Cup, marking the first time in 21 years that a Chinese men’s national youth team has reached a global competition.
Heading into the decisive match, China faced an uphill battle after losing their first two group games against Indonesia and Japan. To advance, they needed to beat Qatar by at least two goals. The team responded brilliantly, with He Sifan opening the scoring in the 13th minute. The forward received the ball on the left side of the box, cut inside, and curled a precise shot into the far corner, leaving the goalkeeper with no chance.
China continued to dominate in the second half. Despite Qatar holding more possession, their attacks lacked quality. In the 70th minute, Zhang Bolin doubled the lead with a powerful header from a cross delivered from the left flank. The goal sealed a 2-0 victory for China, who recorded 12 shots (8 on target) compared to Qatar’s 5 (2 on target), and won 9 corners to Qatar’s 2.
In the other group match, Japan defeated Indonesia, leaving all three teams – China, Qatar, and Indonesia – on three points. China advanced to the knockout stage and secured a spot in the U17 World Cup thanks to a superior goal difference.
This achievement ends a 21-year drought for Chinese men’s youth teams at world competitions. The last appearance was in 2005, when both the U17 and U20 teams participated in their respective World Cups. The victory not only brings pride to Chinese football but also signals a new chapter for the country’s youth development program.
