Tag: China

CHONGQING, CHINA - JUNE 9: Head coach of Team China Branko Ivankovic reacts during a training session ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier Asian third round Group C match between China and Bahrain at Chongqing Longxing Football Stadium on June 9, 2025 in Chongqing, China. The Chinese Football Association (CFA) announced on Friday the dismissal of national team head coach Branko Ivankovic following China’s failure to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The CFA confirmed in an official statement that its contract with Ivankovic has been automatically terminated after China failed to advance into the playoff stage of the World Cup Asian qualifiers. “The Chinese Football Association expresses gratitude to Mr. Branko Ivankovic and his coaching staff for their dedicated effor...

China coach Branko Ivankovic was under pressure Wednesday to quit after less than seven months in the job with their hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup in danger. China are bottom of their group in the third round of Asian qualifying following two defeats in as many games, the latest a 2-1 home loss to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. The Saudis played much of the game in Dalian with 10 men following the 19th-minute dismissal of Mohamed Kanno, but they were the better side in the second half and scored the winner at the death through Hassan Kadish's second header of the night. Boos rang around the stadium at the final whistle with Croatian coach Ivankovic the target of much of the home fans' anger. On the social media platform Weibo, the hashtags "Chinese football. No hope" and "Ivan...