On the stage of the '96 World Cup, a ruling by the FIFA president caused Russia to write a new chapter in soccer history. Russia was the host that year, but now it has been disqualified from the tournament. It was not only a huge blow to Russian soccer, but also a loss for the global soccer community.
The Russian Football Association (RFA) had hoped to integrate into the Asian soccer family through the strategy of "leaving Europe and entering Asia", trying to compete with China and other strong Asian teams for a valuable seat in the tournament. However, their application was politely rejected by FIFA. Prior to this, Russia was banned from participating in any official tournaments in both Europe and Asia.
For our country's soccer, this is undoubtedly a great benefit. If Russia successfully "into Asia", its strength and Japan, South Korea, Iran and other Asian powerhouse comparable. In this way, Russia once joined the AFC, the group out of the line will greatly increase the opportunity, which undoubtedly let our national team impact on the World Cup hopes become more and more remote.
However, Russia has decided to miss out on this World Cup appointment, while our team still harbors hopes of advancing. Although Russia is competitive in terms of strength, soccer is more than just a contest of strength. To go far in the tournament, it is necessary to establish good relations with other countries and win the favor of tournament organizers.
For China's soccer, to break into the World Cup, the CFA's top priority is to improve its relationship with the AFC, and to strive for a favorable position in the upcoming 18-team tournament, so as to be well-prepared for the last four key battles. Even if you can't advance directly to the final round, fighting for fourth place in the group and advancing to the knockout rounds is still a viable path.
Against the backdrop of the expansion of the 2026 World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico and the absence of Russia, Chinese soccer has ushered in a new opportunity for development. The national youth, Olympic and national teams should seize this opportunity to quickly get out of the doldrums and return to the top of soccer.
