In a thrilling conclusion to the group stage of the 2026 AFC U17 Asian Cup, China’s U17 men’s football team defeated Qatar 2-0 on May 12 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, securing second place in Group B and advancing to the quarterfinals.
With this victory, China also earned a spot in the 2026 FIFA U17 World Cup, marking the first time in 21 years that a Chinese men’s national youth team has qualified for the tournament since 2005.
The tournament features 16 teams divided into four groups, with China placed in Group B alongside Japan, Indonesia, and Qatar. The top two teams from each group automatically qualify for the U17 World Cup. After suffering narrow defeats in their opening two matches—0-1 to Indonesia and 1-2 to Japan—China faced a must-win situation against Qatar.
China started the match with aggressive intent and took the lead in the 14th minute when He Sifan scored from inside the box after a long ball from Wan Xiang. The team maintained control throughout the first half, creating several scoring opportunities.
In the second half, China continued to dominate. Zhang Borui doubled the lead with a header in the 71st minute, sealing a 2-0 victory. The result left Japan as group winners with three straight wins, while China, Qatar, and Indonesia each finished with three points from one win and two losses. China’s superior goal difference (+1) edged them ahead of Qatar (0) and Indonesia (-1), securing second place and a dramatic advancement.
According to the schedule, China will face Group A winners and hosts Saudi Arabia on May 15 in the quarterfinals.
