China's national football team has unveiled a bold, youth-infused squad for their make-or-break 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Saudi Arabia and Australia , blending fresh talent with high-stakes strategy.
Squad Shake-Up
Five debutants headline the roster: defensive trio Liu Haofan, Wang Shiqin, and Xu Bin (all under 23) join teenage strikers Wang Yudong and Liu Chengyu (born in 2006!) . Naturalized forward Hou Yongyong could also make his debut as Team Dragon seeks attacking firepower.
Key Absences
Star striker Wu Lei (2024 Chinese Men's Footballer of the Year) and defender Zhu Chenjie miss out due to injuries, leaving fans wondering who'll step up.
Match Madness
China faces Saudi Arabia in Riyadh on March 20 before hosting Australia in Hangzhou five days later. With Group C heating up, every goal could rewrite their World Cup destiny.
Group C Standings
Japan: 16pts (qualified)
Australia: 7pts
China: 6pts
Saudi Arabia: 6pts
Can China leapfrog rivals to secure their first World Cup spot since 2002? The answer starts now.
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and Australia 
, blending fresh talent with high-stakes strategy. 
Squad Shake-Up
join teenage strikers Wang Yudong and Liu Chengyu (born in 2006!) 
seeks attacking firepower.
Key Absences
Match Madness
before hosting Australia in Hangzhou five days later. With Group C heating up, every goal could rewrite their World Cup destiny. 
Group C Standings
Japan: 16pts (qualified)
China: 6pts
