Chinese FA name new chairman after former bosses arrested for bribery and corruption

The China Women’s team played at the World Cup this year but the men’s side have not reached the tournament since 2002

(AFP via Getty Images)

Song Kai was named as the new chairman of the Chinese Football Association (CFA), China’s state news agency Xinhua reported on Monday, amid a spike in anti-corruption investigations into the soccer body.

Song works as the director of Liaoning province’s Sports Bureau, according to state media Global Times.

Sun Wen, Yuan Yongqing, Yang Xu and Xu Jiren were named CFA vice presidents, Xinhua reported.

The CFA did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

China’s top prosecutor said last week it had ordered the arrest of former CFA vice chairman Du Zhaocai, who was suspected of accepting bribes, state media previously reported.

In September, authorities said they had charged the ex-head of the CFA Chen Xuyuan with utilising his position and authority to “seek benefits for others” and “illegally accept other people’s property and possessions”.

Over a dozen officials working in the football sector have been placed under investigation since November last year, state media reported last week.

China start their World Cup 2026 qualification campaign in November, with the convoluted Asian section of qualifying pitching them in with South Korea, Thailand and the winners of Singapore and Guam’s first-round encounter. The top two progress to round three, with the top two of each group in that next section reaching the World Cup finals in Canada, Mexico and USA.

Further play-off spots are available to Asian nations, with China not reaching the tournament since their only appearance back in 2002. There, they neither earned a point nor scored a goal. They are also set to play in the 2023 Asian Cup which starts in January 2024 in Qatar.

China’s women’s team qualified for the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand across the summer, being knocked out in the group stage. The Steel Roses have qualified for three finals in a row, though their best performance at a World Cup was back in 1999 when they finished runners-up to USA.

Additional reporting by Reuters