China’s new men’s football coach Aleksandar Jankovic targets 2026 World Cup – ‘no time to waste’
- Jankovic will get straight to work with a training camp and friendly against New Zealand after he is promoted from China’s age-group coaching ranks
- But the new boss admits the China team ‘have a lot of things to do’ before they can return to the global showpiece – including getting fitter
The China men’s football team were set a target of reaching the 2026 Fifa World Cup as Aleksandar Jankovic was unveiled as their new coach.
Jankovic, who will oversee his first match – away to New Zealand – later this month, was presented to Chinese media on Wednesday after his promotion last Friday from the country’s youth set-up.
China’s struggling senior side sit 80th in the world rankings and have not qualified for the World Cup since making their sole appearance at the finals in 2002.
“Receiving this opportunity to coach the national team is a big reward, and I am extremely motivated,” the 50-year-old Serb said at a press conference in the southern island province of Hainan.
“I know every long journey starts with a small step. As head coach, I must have a clear picture of the big target. The general goal is the 2026 World Cup, and the Chinese team must play.”
The 2026 tournament, which will be staged in the United States, Mexico and Canada, will be the first edition to feature an expanded 48-team line-up rather than 32, meaning that at least eight Asian teams will be included. Jankovic, though, was not assuming that China’s task had become easier.