Chinese Taipei national football team

The Chinese Taipei national football team (Chinese: 中華台北男子足球代表隊) represents Taiwan (The Republic of China) in international football^[4] and is controlled by the Chinese Taipei Football Association. Despite never qualifying for the FIFA World Cup, Chinese Taipei, then known as Republic of China, reached the semi-finals of the 1960 and 1968 AFC Asian Cups, finishing third in the former. The side also won gold at the 1954 and 1958 Asian Games, although the players in the team originated from British Hong Kong.

The Chinese Taipei Football Association (CTFA) was originally established in mainland China in 1924 as the China Football Association (CFA). Following the conclusion of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, the association relocated to Taiwan along with the Republic of China government. Taiwan joined FIFA in 1954,^[5] and competed internationally under the name "Republic of China".^[6] However, in FIFA's statistical records, the team was also referred to as "Taiwan" before officially adopting the name "Chinese Taipei" in 1982, following international agreements prompted by political tensions with the People's Republic of China (PRC).^[5]

The national team achieved its greatest success during this early period. It qualified for the 1960 AFC Asian Cup and finished third, its best performance in the tournament to date. In the same year, the team also participated in the football tournament at the 1960 Summer Olympics. Notably, several players in the squad were originally from Hong Kong, despite Hong Kong having its own national team at the time.^[7]

In 1970, an agreement between the CTFA and the Hong Kong Football Association ended the eligibility of Hong Kong-based players to represent Taiwan. The national team's performance declined significantly thereafter, and it has not qualified for the AFC Asian Cup or the FIFA World Cup since.

Due to political conflicts with the PRC, Chinese Taipei was expelled from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC)^[8] and the Asian Games. As a result, from 1975 to 1989, Chinese Taipei competed as a member of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC). During this period, the team struggled to achieve significant results on the international stage.

Chinese Taipei was re-admitted to the AFC in 1989^[9] and to the Olympic Council of Asia in 1990.^[10] The national team gradually began rebuilding its international presence but remained a minor footballing nation in Asia.

In recent years, Chinese Taipei experienced a resurgence in form under English coach Gary White, who was appointed in 2017.^[11] White implemented modern tactical approaches and launched a global scouting program to identify players of Taiwanese descent abroad. This initiative brought in players such as Tim Chow, Will Donkin, and Emilio Estevez, who contributed to improved performances.

In December 2017, Chinese Taipei hosted and won the CTFA International Tournament, featuring Laos, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste. It marked the national team's first official international trophy in 55 years.^[12] Forward Li Mao finished as the tournament's top scorer with four goals.^[13]

Under White's leadership, Chinese Taipei won seven consecutive FIFA-recognized matches and advanced to the third round of qualification for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup, narrowly missing qualification by one point behind Bahrain and Turkmenistan. White departed in September 2018 to manage the Hong Kong national team.^[14]

After White's departure, the team's performance declined. Interim coach Vom Ca-nhum led the squad in the EAFF E-1 Championship qualifying round, but failed to progress further. In 2019, Louis Lancaster, another English coach and former assistant to White, was appointed head coach.^[15] However, the team won only one of nine matches that year and suffered heavy defeats during the early stages of qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Lancaster was dismissed in December 2019,^[16] and replaced by Vom Ca-nhum, who held an AFC Pro A license and was appointed on a permanent basis.^[17]

In October 2023, Chinese Taipei competed in the first round of qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They defeated Timor-Leste 7–0 on aggregate, advancing to the second round, where they were drawn into Group D alongside Oman, Kyrgyzstan, and Malaysia.

As of January 2023, the official kit supplier is local Taiwanese sports brand Entes.^[18]

Chinese Taipei played their home matches at the Kaohsiung National Stadium which is able to hold up to 55,000 seating capacity. The stadium, designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito, makes use of 1 MW of solar cells to provide most of its power needs. The stadium's semi spiral-shaped, like a dragon, is the first stadium in the world to provide power using solar power technology. The solar panels covering the vast external face of the stadium are able to generate most of the power required for its own operation, as well as additional power that can be sent to the grid.

Chinese Taipei used to play their match at the 20,000 capacity stadium Taipei Municipal Stadium which as of now, will be second in line to host the national team matches. On 3 July 2011, the stadium recorded its highest attendance for a football game when Chinese Taipei hosted Malaysia in the first round of the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification second leg match, when 15,335 spectators attended the game.

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixture

As of 13 November 2025

Caretaker managers are listed in italics.

The following 23 players were called up for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification – third round against Turkmenistan on 18 November 2025. ^[19]

Caps and goals updated as of 18 November 2025, after the match against Turkmenistan.

The following players also received a call-up within the last twelve months.

As of 18 November 2025^[20]

Players in bold are still active with Chinese Taipei.

  Champions    Runners-up    Third place     Fourth place  

• AFC Asian Cup
  • Third place (1): 1960
• Asian Games¹
  • Gold medal (2): 1954, 1958

• CTFA International Tournament (1): 2017

Only official honours are included, according to FIFA statutes (competitions organized/recognized by FIFA or an affiliated confederation).

Notes

1. Competition organized by OCA, officially not recognized by FIFA.

• List of Taiwanese footballers
• Chinese Taipei national futsal team
• Chinese Taipei women's national football team

• Chinese Taipei Football Association official website (in Chinese)
• Chinese Taipei at AFC
• Chinese Taipei at FIFA
• Chinese Taipei at 2006 FIFA World Cup official website (archived 12 March 2007)
• Chinese Taipei national team squad at CTFA official website (in Chinese) (archived 10 December 2007)