China at the FIFA World Cup

For the women's team, see China at the FIFA Women's World Cup.

China first entered World Cup qualification in 1957 in an attempt to qualify for the 1958 FIFA World Cup and has made its first appearance in 2002. Despite a respectable performance against Costa Rica, they lost all of their games without scoring a goal with a goal difference of 0-9.^[1][2][3]

Qualification

FIFA World Cup qualification - Rank 26 in November 2024

As of 27 March 2025

#	Year	M	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Points
1	1930 FIFA World Cup qualification	DNE
2	1934 FIFA World Cup qualification	DNE
3	1938 FIFA World Cup qualification	DNE
4	1950 FIFA World Cup qualification	DNE
5	1954 FIFA World Cup qualification	DNE
6	1958 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)	3	1	1	1	4	5	-1	4
7	1962 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)	DNE
8	1966 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)	DNE
9	1970 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)	DNE
10	1974 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)	DNE
11	1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)	DNE
12	1982 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)	12	7	2	3	19	8	+11	23
13	1986 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)	6	4	1	1	23	2	+21	13
14	1990 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)	11	7	0	4	18	9	+9	21
15	1994 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)	8	6	0	2	18	4	+14	18
16	1998 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)	14	8	3	3	24	16	+8	27
17	2002 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)	14	12	1	1	38	5	+33	37
18	2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)	6	5	0	1	14	1	+13	15
19	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)	8	3	3	2	14	4	+10	12
20	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)	8	5	0	3	23	9	+14	15
21	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)	18	8	5	5	35	11	+24	29
22	2022 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)	18	7	4	7	39	22	+17	25
23	2026 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC)	13	4	2	7	15	28	-13	14
Total	13/23	140	77	22	41	284	124	+160	253

Overall record

China's FIFA World Cup record v t e											Qualification record
Year		Round	Position	M	W	D	L	GF	GA		M	W	D	L	GF	GA	Link
1930		Not a FIFA member									Not a FIFA member						Link
1934		Did not enter									Declined participation						Link
1938																	Link
1950																	Link
1954																	Link
1958		Did not qualify									3	1	1	1	4	5	Link
1962		Did not enter									Declined participation						Link
1966																	Link
1970																	Link
1974																	Link
1978																	Link
1982		Did not qualify									12	7	2	3	19	8	Link
1986											6	4	1	1	23	2	Link
1990											11	7	0	4	18	9	Link
1994											8	6	0	2	18	4	Link
1998											14	8	3	3	24	16	Link
2002		Group stage	31st	3	0	0	3	0	9		14	12	1	1	38	5	Link
2006		Did not qualify									6	5	0	1	14	1	Link
2010											8	3	3	2	14	4	Link
2014											8	5	0	3	23	9	Link
2018											18	8	5	5	35	11	Link
2022											18	7	4	7	39	22	Link
2026											16	5	2	9	16	29	Link
2030		To be determined
2034
Total		Group stage	1/23	3	0	0	3	0	9		142	78	22	42	285	125	Link

FIFA World Cup squads and matches

2002 South Korea/Japan

Main article: 2002 FIFA World Cup Group C

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Brazil	3	3	0	0	11	3	+8	9	Advance to knockout stage
2	Turkey	3	1	1	1	5	3	+2	4
3	Costa Rica	3	1	1	1	5	6	−1	4
4	China	3	0	0	3	0	9	−9	0

Source: FIFA
Rules for classification: Tie-breaking criteria

4 June 2002

15:30

China	0–2	Costa Rica
	Report	Gómez 61' Wright 65'

Gwangju World Cup Stadium, Gwangju

Attendance: 27,217

Referee: Kyros Vassaras (Greece)

---

8 June 2002

20:30

Brazil	4–0	China
Roberto Carlos 15' Rivaldo 32' Ronaldinho 45' (pen.) Ronaldo 55'	Report

Jeju World Cup Stadium, Seogwipo

Attendance: 36,750

Referee: Anders Frisk (Sweden)

---

13 June 2002

15:30

Turkey	3–0	China
Hasan Şaş 6' Bülent 9' Davala 85'	Report

Seoul World Cup Stadium, Seoul

Attendance: 43,605

Referee: Óscar Ruiz (Colombia)

Squads

Record players

Eight players were fielded in all three of China PR's World Cup matches in 2002.

Rank	Player	Matches
1	Hao Haidong	3
	Jiang Jin	3
	Li Tie	3
	Li Weifeng	3
	Li Xiaopeng	3
	Qu Bo	3
	Wu Chengying	3
	Xu Yunlong	3

See also

• Asian nations at the FIFA World Cup
• China at the AFC Asian Cup