China dreams of football glory at last... in gaming
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BEIJING – Zhao Yitang had always dreamed of playing football for China and this summer he finally did – not in boots on a pitch, but on a smartphone.
As the global popularity of football e-sport grows, China is vying for success on the virtual pitch, following decades of struggles in the real-life sport.
The Chinese Football Association (CFA) has announced plans to form its own national football e-sports team, kindling hopes for players like Zhao.
“If I could join the national team, I would go all-out in my efforts for the side,” the gamer told AFP.
Recent graduate Zhao, 21, reached the final of the eFootball championship in Tokyo in 2025, finishing second.
It was China’s best international result in the game formerly known as Pro Evolution Soccer, which dominates the football e-sports genre along with EA Sports FC Online.
The CFA says its football e-sports team will soon compete in events organised by Fifa and the Asian Football Confederation.
Despite being massively popular in China, real-life football in the country has long been plagued by match-fixing and corruption.
President Xi Jinping once said he wanted China to host and even win the World Cup. But the men’s national team languish 93rd in Fifa’s rankings and failed again to qualify for the quadrennial showpiece.
Football e-sport could deliver glory at last.
China is one of the world’s biggest gaming markets and its players are some of the best in other e-sports games. But, for top players, football video games are far less lucrative than battling for big prize money in fantasy e-sports titles such as League of Legends or Dota 2.
The professionalism of virtual football, unlike other e-sports, is at an early stage.
“The prize money is too little. It’s difficult to make a living playing professionally, full-time,” former pro e-sports football player Monaco said, asking to use his screen name to avoid online abuse.
Even winning every tournament would earn a top player only about 70,000 yuan (S$12,750) annually before taxes, with regular salaries non-existent, he said.
By contrast, top players in more established e-sports titles like League of Legends can earn salaries in the seven figures, alongside sponsorship deals.
“Probably only 10 people in all of China can make a living out of playing football e-sport,” said Pan Shuyin, manager of the e-sports division of Chinese Super League club Changchun Yatai.
Other clubs have disbanded their e-sports teams or are reluctant to set them up because they are seen as money-losers.
While Chinese teams have played football e-sport at global tournaments in the past, the country is not on the roster for the upcoming FIFAe World Cup, an eFootball tournament in December in Saudi Arabia.
Worldwide, football e-sport is gradually becoming a regular fixture.
The ePremier League kicked off in 2018 and e-sport – including football games – became an official medal event at the last Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, in 2023. AFP
