Ex-Bundesliga professional
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Jiayi Shao is the new coach of the Chinese national team. The 45-year-old succeeds Croatian Branko Ivankovic (71), who managed the team in 14 games between February 2024 and June 2025. Most recently, Serb Dejan Djurdjevic (58) was on the sidelines for three games. Shao has already held several positions in the Chinese Football Association. Until recently he was the coach of the first division team Qingdao West Coast.
The former Bundesliga professional – Shao played 67 times for Energie Cottbus and TSV 1860 Munich in the German upper house – prevailed against “several qualified Chinese and foreign candidates”, as it says in a statement. On September 5th, the Chinese association published a public job advertisement. “Subsequently, an expert group of experienced Chinese and foreign football experts conducted a rigorous selection process that included online interviews. The selection criteria and procedures were carefully reviewed,” it said. After careful consideration, Shao was chosen.
China took part in a World Cup for the first and last time in 2002. Asia has eight direct spots at the 2026 World Cup, with another possible via the FIFA playoff tournament. With Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, South Korea and Uzbekistan, six countries are guaranteed to take part.