Chinese Team Draws “Lower Lottery” in 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers
[New Tang Dynasty News, Beijing time, July 28, 2023] The 2026 United States-Canada-Mexico Football World Cup (2026 FIFA World Cup Canada/Mexico/United States) Asian qualifiers – the “Top 36” group has been announced. The Chinese team, as the second-tier team, was divided into Group C with the winners of South Korea, Thailand, and Singapore and Guam. Many mainland fans believe that the Chinese team has drawn a “lower lottery”.
The 2026 World Cup will be held in 16 cities, including 2 in Canada, 3 in Mexico, and 11 in the United States. It will be the first time three countries will host football’s most important international competition. Since the start of this World Cup, the participating teams will increase from the previous 32 to 48 teams. The group stage will be divided into 12 groups, each group consisting of 4 teams. The top two teams will directly advance to the knockout round, and the other 8 teams with better results will also enter the knockout round, making a total of 32 teams.
Asia received 8.5 promotion spots out of the 46 places qualified for the World Cup. This news has brought hope to Chinese fans, as they see a chance for the Chinese men’s football team to compete in the World Cup.
The Chinese team has been ranked 11th in Asia, securing their position as the second team. The group stage draw placed them in Group C alongside South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, and Guam. Chinese fans have expressed concerns as South Korea has proven to be a difficult opponent for the Chinese team in the past, and Thailand has shown rapid progress in recent years.
However, it should be noted that the Chinese team successfully avoided tougher opponents like North Korea, Kuwait, Turkmenistan, and Lebanon, making their draw relatively favorable. The Chinese team will now have to compete with the Thai team for a qualifying spot.
In previous meetings, the Chinese men’s football team has faced Thailand 18 times, with 12 wins, 3 draws, and 3 losses. The Chinese team also defeated Thailand in the 1/8 finals of the 2019 Asian Cup with a score of 2:1. Despite this track record, mainland fans still have doubts about the Chinese team’s ability to secure a place in the World Cup.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, and will be held in a total of 16 cities. The tournament will feature an extended schedule and more games due to the increased number of teams. The qualifiers will take place from November 16 this year to June 11 next year.
The Chinese team will have to face tough competition in Group C, but with hard work and determination, they have the opportunity to secure a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.