Chinese Taipei national football team

History

Formation and early success (1924–1970)

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, and competed internationally under the name "Republic of China". 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).

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.

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.

Participation in Oceania Football Confederation (1975–1989)

Due to political conflicts with the PRC, Chinese Taipei was expelled from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) 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.

Return to AFC and modern developments (1989–present)

Chinese Taipei was re-admitted to the AFC in 1989 and to the Olympic Council of Asia in 1990. 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. 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. Forward Li Mao finished as the tournament's top scorer with four goals.

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.

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. 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, and replaced by Vom Ca-nhum, who held an AFC Pro A license and was appointed on a permanent basis.

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.

Team image

Kit

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

Stadium

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.

Results and fixtures

Main article: Chinese Taipei national football team results, Taiwan national football team results

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

2024

• Shawal
• Sandberg
• Kouamé
• Kouamé
• Estama
• Yu Yao-hsing
• Orr
• Tsui Wang Kit
• Yu Yao-hsing

2025

Report (AFC) Gurbanov

Report (AFC) De Silva
Razeek Klok
Reijnders
Sananta
Walsh

Report (AFC) Chanathip

Report (AFC) Seksan
Supachok
Huang Tzu-ming

Report (AFC) Tagaýew
Diniýew

2026

Coaching staff

As of 13 November 2025

Coaching history

:Caretaker managers are listed in italics.

• ROCHKG Ngan Shing-kwan (1936)
• ROCHKG Lee Wai Tong (1954–1958)
• TWNHKG Ho Ying Fun (1966)
• TWNHKG Pau King Yin (1966, 1968, 1971)
• ROCHKG Hsu King Shing (1967)
• TWNHKG Law Pak (1977–1981)
• TWN Chiang Chia (1981–1985)
• TWN Lo Chih-tsung (1985–1988)
• TWN Huang Jen-cheng (1988–1993)
• TWN Chiang Mu-tsai (1994–2000)
• TWN Huang Jen-cheng (2000–2001)
• TWN Lee Po-houng (2001–2005)
• BRA Edson Silva (2005)
• JPN Toshiaki Imai (2005–2007)
• TWN Chen Sing-an (2008–2009)
• TWN Lo Chih-tsung (2009–2011)
• KOR Lee Tae-ho (2011)
• TWN Chen Kuei-jen (2012)
• TWN Chiang Mu-tsai (2012)
• TWN Chen Kuei-jen (2013–2016)
• JPN Toshiaki Imai (2016)
• JPN Kazuo Kuroda (2016–2017)
• JPN Reiji Hirata (2017)
• ENG Gary White (2017–2018)
• TWN Vom Ca-nhum (2018)
• ENG Louis Lancaster (2019)
• TWN Vom Ca-nhum (2020–2021)
• TWN Yeh Hsien-chung (2021)
• TWN Yeh Hsien-chung (2022–2023)
• ENG Gary White (2023–2025)
• TWN Chen Sing-an (2025)
• TWN Huang Che-ming (2025)
• AUS Matt Ross (2025)

Players

Current squad

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

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

Recent call-ups

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

PRE PRE

Player records

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Competitions

Champions Runners-up Third place
Fourth place

FIFA World Cup

Olympic Games record

AFC Asian Cup

Main article: Chinese Taipei at the AFC Asian Cup

AFC Challenge Cup

East Asian Cup

Asian Games

Head-to-head record

Honours

Continental

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

Friendly

• CTFA International Tournament (1): 2017

Summary

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.

Notes

References

References

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2. "Why Taiwan is competing in the Olympics under 'Chinese Taipei'". Postmedia Network Inc..
3. (28 June 2011). "Statistical Kit: Preliminary Draw for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil". [[FIFA]].
4. "Moments and Milestones: The 1960 AFC Asian Cup". the-AFC.
5. "Archived copy".
6. "NewspaperSG".
7. "足協簡介 - 中華民國足球協會Ctfa".
8. "Pakistan Sports Board, Islamabad".
9. "White takes helm of Taiwan soccer".
10. "足協邀請賽 / 59年首嘗冠軍滋味 中華隊踢出勝利榮耀 - 中華民國足球協會CTFA".
11. (2017-12-06). "Taiwan beat Laos, claim CTFA17 title - Taipei Times".
12. (10 September 2018). "Gary White lands Hong Kong job as Football Association finally confirm new head coach after months of speculation".
13. (2019-10-14). "He moulded one of the world's best young players. Now he'll try to take down the Socceroos".
14. (2020-02-01). "FEATURE: National soccer suffers horror 2019 - Taipei Times".
15. (2020-02-15). "Men's national soccer team appoints Vom Ca-nhum as side's new manager - Taipei Times".
16. Staff, Football Fashion. (2022-01-27). "Chinese Taipei 2022/23 Entes Home and Away Kits".
17. "114年男子國家代表隊2027亞洲盃資格賽最終輪名冊".
18. "Chinese Taipei".