The story of the China women's national football team is a bit of a heartbreaker if you’ve followed them since the 90s. They were the "Steel Roses," a nickname that wasn't just some marketing fluff; it actually meant something. Back then, they didn't just play; they dominated.
Fast forward to right now, January 2026, and the vibe is... different.
Honestly, the team is in a weird spot. They’re currently huddled in Shenzhen for their first big training camp of the year. Head coach Ante Milicic is trying to pick up the pieces after a brutal 8-0 loss to England at Wembley last November. If you saw that game, you know it was hard to watch. It felt like a wake-up call that the rest of the world has basically sprinted past them while they were still trying to figure out their next move.
Why the Steel Roses Aren't Wilting Just Yet
Despite the heavy losses in Europe, people in China still care deeply about this team. There's this massive sense of "what if" surrounding the upcoming AFC Women’s Asian Cup in Australia this March.
Milicic has been pretty blunt about it. He knows the fans are frustrated. He even kept his job by the skin of his teeth after that England disaster. But he’s convinced that the pain of losing 8-0 is exactly what the younger players needed to feel. You can't simulate that kind of pressure in a domestic league.
The 2026 Road Map
The team is currently working through a two-phase prep plan.
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- Phase One (January 4-22): 24 players from nine different Chinese clubs are in Shenzhen focusing on fitness and tactical resets.
- Phase Two (Late Jan to Feb): They’re planning to play warm-up matches every three days. The idea is to mimic the exhaustion and quick turnarounds of a real tournament.
They’ve landed in Group B for the Asian Cup alongside North Korea, Uzbekistan, and Bangladesh. Getting past Uzbekistan and Bangladesh shouldn't be the issue. The real test is North Korea. That match on March 9 in Sydney is going to tell us everything we need to know about where this team actually stands.
The Gap Is Getting Harder to Ignore
It’s kinda wild to think that in 1999, China was a penalty kick away from winning the World Cup. Sun Wen was a global icon. Now? The team is hovering around 17th or 18th in the FIFA rankings.
What went wrong? It's not just one thing.
For starters, the European teams finally started putting money into their women's programs. While England, Spain, and the US were building massive professional infrastructures, China stayed a bit too insular. They relied on long, isolated training camps rather than letting their best players go out and grind in the top European leagues.
Players like Wang Shuang—who is still the heartbeat of this squad—have seen the difference firsthand from her time at PSG. But one or two "overseas" stars can't carry a whole system.
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A Passing of the Torch?
Veteran defender Wu Haiyan is 32 now. She got emotional recently talking about how this Asian Cup is likely her last ride. You’ve got these legends like her and Zhang Rui trying to mentor kids like 20-year-old Wang Aifang.
The problem is that the "new blood" is entering a much more competitive world than the 90s generation did.
What Most People Get Wrong About the CFA
There's a common theory that the Chinese Football Association (CFA) just ignores the women's team in favor of the men. It’s actually more complicated.
Publicly, the fans often say, "Give the men's budget to the women!" because the men's team has been, frankly, disappointing for decades. But the women's team has its own structural issues. The Chinese Women's Super League (CWSL) struggles with attendance and financial stability. When stars like Barbra Banda left the CWSL for the NWSL in America, it left a gap in the domestic level of play.
Milicic brought in local coaches like Wang Hongliang and Ou Chuliang recently to bridge the gap between his Australian tactical style and the local players' habits. It’s an experiment in "co-learning," but time is running out before the March kickoff in Perth and Sydney.
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Surviving Group B and Beyond
If you're looking for what to watch next, keep an eye on the schedule for March.
- March 3: China vs. Bangladesh (The "must-win" confidence booster).
- March 6: China vs. Uzbekistan (Tactical refinement).
- March 9: China vs. North Korea (The grudge match).
The goal isn't just to qualify; it's to reach the final. Milicic has stated this publicly. If they don't make the final, the calls for his dismissal will probably become a roar.
Actionable Steps for the Steel Roses
To actually compete with the elite again, the team needs to do more than just run drills in Shenzhen.
- Force more players abroad: The CFA needs to stop being afraid of losing players to European clubs. The "national team first" camp mentality is killing individual development.
- Bridge the physical gap: The England match proved that China is being outmuscled. Modern women's football is faster and more physical than ever.
- Leverage the "Steel Rose" legacy without being trapped by it: History is great, but you can't win in 2026 using a 1999 playbook.
The next few months are going to be a massive test of character for the China women's national football team. They’ve got the talent, and they definitely have the pride. Now they just need the results to prove they still belong at the top table.
To stay updated on the squad's progress, you can follow the official AFC match trackers starting in March or check the latest training camp dispatches from Xinhua for real-time player fitness updates. Focus on the North Korea match result as your primary indicator for their tournament trajectory.