Could a variable in the Iran-Israel war emerge?
On the 23rd (Korea time), the Chinese media outlet Sohu reported that the China Football Association (CFA) is in close communication with FIFA in preparation for possible changes in the participating countries for the 2026 North and Central America World Cup. The catalyst is the United States' ban on entry for Iranians. If Iran cannot enter the host country, the United States, and qualifies for the finals, FIFA is reportedly considering multiple scenarios, including an 'Iran substitute team.'
After parting ways with coach Aleksandar Janković in February last year, the China Football Association appointed Ivanković. However, after failing to qualify for the North and Central America World Cup finals, they abruptly dismissed him on the 13th.
This World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams, leading to explosive expectations for qualification in China. However, they failed. Under coach Ivanković, China finished the third round of qualifiers with 3 wins and 7 losses, placing 5th in Group C. They have failed to qualify for the finals for the sixth consecutive time since the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup.
In response, the China Football Association ended the contract with coach Ivanković due to poor performance. It is reported that the contract included a clause allowing for termination without penalty if they failed to qualify for the World Cup finals.
Sohu.com noted, "Ivanković could not escape responsibility for the failure to qualify for the World Cup finals. He left on a 1 a.m. flight without saying goodbye to the players right after his dismissal. It is no surprise that he was dismissed because he did not achieve the goal of qualifying for the World Cup. The team's performance under his leadership was terrible, and the results were simply unacceptable."
Sohu.com added, "The players of the Chinese national team were certainly not lacking in skill. Wu Lei, Zhang Guangtai, Zhang Yuning, and Wang Dalei were all outstanding players in their leagues. However, coach Ivanković was unable to effectively utilize these excellent players. His tactics were outdated and uninteresting, and his in-game management was poor."
Furthermore, Sohu.com lamented, "Ivanković should have already been replaced by the time half of the third round of qualifiers was completed. If there had been changes then, Chinese football might not have reached such a dire situation as it is now."
Meanwhile, the outlet reported on the 17th, citing 'Zibo8', that the under-20 (U-20) China national football team coach Dejan Jurić will take the temporary helm of the senior national team for the East Asian Cup in July. The China Football Association, which began looking for a successor right after the dismissal of coach Ivanković, is said to be considering a South Korean coach or members of the existing coaching staff who are of Chinese descent.
The replacement coach is reportedly Jurić, who led the U-20 team to the 2025 AFC Asian Cup (eliminated in the quarterfinals) in February this year. At that time, China lost to Saudi Arabia and failed to secure a spot for the U-20 World Cup.
International media, including Bain Sports and El Paso Times, reported that "FIFA and the U.S. government are in behind-the-scenes negotiations to find a solution." However, due to the intertwined military tensions between Iran and Israel and U.S. immigration regulations, it is not easy to find a breakthrough. The Israeli side attending the Security Council insisted, "We will continue to attack Iran," further increasing the variables.
If Iran ultimately receives a judgment of inability to compete, one of Asia's 8.5 slots will become vacant. Naturally, this situation has made China highly attentive. Sohu reported that, "Having already missed the finals, there is a growing atmosphere that China is mentioned as a late substitute candidate, although the possibility is slim, the CFA is preparing for contingencies."
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