China has announced a 32-player squad for the decisive 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers against Saudi Arabia and Australia. The roster features five new faces, including three under-23 defensive prospects and two under-20 strikers.
Defenders Liu Haofan, Wang Shiqin, and Xu Bin, all aged 23 or younger, have earned their first call-ups to the senior team. Joining them are forwards Wang Yudong and Liu Chengyu, both born in 2006, who are set to bolster China’s attacking options.
Notably absent from the squad are the 2024 Chinese Men’s Footballer of the Year, Wu Lei, and starting center-back Zhu Chenjie, both sidelined due to injuries. In their stead, Yunnan Yukun’s naturalized striker Hou Yongyong is poised to make his international debut.
Team Dragon will face Saudi Arabia in Riyadh on March 20 before returning home to Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, to host Australia on March 25. With four group stage matches remaining, China currently sits at the bottom of Group C with six points. They are level with Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, and Bahrain but trail second-placed Australia by a single point. Japan leads the group with 16 points.
As the competition intensifies, the introduction of fresh talent aims to invigorate the squad and renew hopes of securing a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
