CHINA’S football association has terminated the contract of national team coach Branko Ivankovic after the country’s failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. The decision came following a disappointing qualifying campaign, including a crucial 1-0 loss to Indonesia earlier this month.
China finished second-last in their Asian qualifying group, suffering seven defeats in 10 matches. The Chinese Football Association (CFA) confirmed the dismissal in a statement, saying, “As the Chinese men’s national team failed to qualify for the play-off stage, the contract of the coach and his staff has been automatically terminated, in accordance with the stipulated terms.”
Ivankovic, a Croatian who previously managed Dinamo Zagreb and Iran, was thanked for his “hard work.” The CFA named Dejan Djurdjevic, current coach of China’s U-19 team, as interim national coach.
China’s football team, ranked 94th globally, has faced persistent criticism from fans due to poor performances and corruption scandals. Despite President Xi Jinping’s ambition for China to win the World Cup, the team has only qualified once, in 2002, failing to score or earn a point.
