The FIFA Women’s World Cup is on the horizon, and the Chinese women’s national soccer team, led by head coach Shui Qingxia, is gearing up to make a significant impact. With the unveiling of the 23-player squad that will compete in the inter-continental tournament, the anticipation is palpable.
The competition will kick off on July 20, and China, currently ranked 14th globally, will face Denmark in their opening group-stage match on July 22. Subsequent fixtures include matches against Haiti on July 28 and the reigning European champions, England, on August 1.
The team will embark on their journey from Guangzhou on Friday, heading to their base camp in Adelaide, Australia. They will use the pre-tournament period in Australia to acclimate and compete in warm-up matches against Brazil and Colombia on July 13 and 17, respectively.
Head coach Shui Qingxia believes her team is yet to hit their peak. During a training session in Qingdao, North China’s Shandong Province, Shui expressed her expectations. She voiced her hope that through further intensive training, the players will reach their optimal performance levels gradually.
China’s victory at the women’s Asian Cup in 2022 has led to increased expectations from their fan base. The fans hope for the national team to make even more significant breakthroughs. Addressing these heightened expectations, Shui acknowledged that while fans’ hopes are high, the World Cup is an entirely different event than the Asian Cup. She admitted that in comparison to the world’s top teams, China is playing catch-up, but expressed her full trust in her players and committed to applauding their efforts in all circumstances.
The 23-player squad comprises mostly domestic players, with the exception of Wu Chengshu of Canberra United in Australia, Wang Shuang of Racing Louisville in the US, and Shen Mengyu of Scottish club Celtic. Captain Wang Shanshan, who is preparing for her third World Cup appearance for China, is currently recovering from an injury. The 33-year-old forward is focused on reaching her peak form by the tournament’s start.
The Chinese team has had its moments of glory, with a runner-up finish at the Women’s World Cup in 1999 being their best performance to date. After a two-decade period of moderate success, the team made a significant comeback last year by winning the 2022 Asian Cup. Now, they have their sights set on achieving more, starting with the World Cup and the upcoming Hangzhou Asian Games in September.
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