The third meeting of the 12th Football Congress was held: planning for the "15th Five-Year Plan," with 2026 focusing on implementation.

Reported by Chen Yong. "One part planning, nine parts execution. The tasks for promoting football revitalization in the new era have been clearly defined. The Chinese Football Association and its member units must effectively align their thoughts and actions with the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, strengthen confidence and determination, unite and lead football workers nationwide, and unswervingly promote football revitalization and development."

On January 20, 2026, the third meeting of the 12th Congress of the Chinese Football Association was held in Beijing. The remarks by Zhang Jiasheng, Deputy Director of the General Administration of Sport and Party Secretary of the Chinese Football Association, summarized the "deployment year" of 2025 — "the tasks for promoting football revitalization in the new era have been clearly defined" — and looked ahead to 2026 as the "implementation year" and the "15th Five-Year Plan" — "effectively aligning thoughts and actions with the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council."

Zhang Jiasheng pointed out that the main task of the third meeting of the 12th Congress of the Chinese Football Association is: to adhere to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as guidance, deeply study and implement the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important instructions on football work, implement the football revitalization and development documents and the spirit of the national football work conference, summarize the achievements and experiences of football development during the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, and plan for the "15th Five-Year Plan" to consolidate the foundation for football revitalization and development.

Regarding how to promote high-quality football development to new heights and breakthroughs during the "15th Five-Year Plan," Zhang Jiasheng emphasized: first, deeply study and implement the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, accurately grasp the situation football faces during the "15th Five-Year Plan," and earnestly enhance the sense of responsibility, mission, and urgency; second, adhere to benchmarking standards, accurately understand the major principles and basic requirements of football development during the "15th Five-Year Plan"; third, strengthen organizational leadership to ensure the tasks of football revitalization and development are implemented effectively.

At this Football Congress, the Chinese Football Association disclosed relevant data and provided a comprehensive summary of the 2025 season: (1) The General Administration of Sport, Ministry of Education, and Chinese Football Association jointly released the national youth football competition calendar for two consecutive years.

Youth registered players steadily increased to 109,200, a 24.88% growth over two years. (2) In 2025, registered coaches (including futsal) totaled 126,000, with 16,287 newly certified coaches, completing the annual "hundred-thousand talents" target ahead of schedule. (3) Social football saw comprehensive growth in 2025, with amateur players reaching 980,000, a 95% increase from 2024; 4,324 amateur events and 144,000 matches were held, up 88% and 140% respectively; 39,300 teams participated, a 27% increase, truly bringing matches closer to the public.

At the national team level: young players gained experience and growth in the top 18 qualifiers; the U23 national team achieved historic breakthroughs, reaching the Asian Cup quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals for the first time; the U20 national team performed well in the Asian Cup but narrowly lost in the knockout stage; the U16 national team scored 42 goals without conceding in the Asian Cup qualifiers to advance; the U17 women's team reached the knockout stage of the World Cup, achieving their best-ever result.

In the "2025 Chinese Football Association Work Report," Song Kai pointed out that the main task of football work during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period is to form by 2030 a new football development pattern with Chinese characteristics, contemporary features, and a broad popular base, establish a football governance system that aligns with modern football development laws and China’s national conditions, achieve football governance capabilities that meet social expectations, and create a positive, clean, and upright football ecological environment.

Key focus areas include seven tasks: (1) continuous improvement of management systems and operational mechanisms; (2) solid foundation for youth football; (3) simultaneous improvement in the quality and efficiency of national team construction; (4) steady promotion of social football popularization and system building; (5) steady growth in scale and quality of professional talent teams; (6) continuous enhancement of football industry governance; (7) comprehensive strengthening of the association’s own construction and performance capabilities.

Major tasks in 2026 include: consistently and thoroughly implementing football revitalization documents and the spirit of the national football work conference throughout the year as a top priority; consolidating and improving the youth training system; systematically advancing national team construction and preparation; stimulating endogenous motivation and cultural vitality in social football; accelerating the building of a high-quality professional talent team; persistently strengthening long-term supervision and governance of competition style and discipline; striving to build a responsible, proactive, and united national football family.

Specific related work includes: continuing to strengthen pilot projects for the integration of sports and education in key national football cities and western regions; continuously promoting the construction of five-level youth training centers; expanding overseas training pathways and systematically implementing the "Overseas Talent Training Plan"; adding more than 18,000 certified coaches at all levels; accelerating the construction of the China Football Referee Academy; systematically advancing national team construction and preparations; focusing on city leagues by promoting the organic integration and dual competition of city leagues and the China Champions League.

Zhang Jiasheng, Deputy Director of the General Administration of Sport and Party Secretary of the Chinese Football Association, attended and spoke at the meeting. Song Kai, Chairman and Deputy Party Secretary of the Chinese Football Association, delivered the "2025 Chinese Football Association Work Report." Yuan Yongqing, Vice Chairman, Deputy Party Secretary, and Secretary General of the Chinese Football Association, presided over the meeting. Vice Chairpersons Sun Wen, Yang Xu, Wan Jianbin, Party Deputy Secretary and Discipline Inspection Secretary Liu Yi, leaders from relevant departments of the General Administration of Sport, executive committee members of the Chinese Football Association, representatives of member associations, grassroots football organizations, and specially invited representatives supporting football development were present. Representatives from FIFA including Chen Jun, and from the AFC including Zhang Wei and Bolor Bayarsaikhan, also attended to provide guidance.

Representatives from the Chinese Professional Football League Federation, provincial (regional, municipal) football associations (Chongqing, Shandong, Hubei, Jiangsu), football ethics construction representatives (social supervisors), and pilot areas for the integration of sports and education football youth training systems in western regions (Bijie City) delivered exchange speeches. Attendees also held group discussions focused on implementing football revitalization documents and the spirit of the national football work conference, Deputy Director Zhang Jiasheng’s speech, and key tasks for 2026.

The meeting also reviewed and voted to approve the "2025 Chinese Football Association Work Report," the "Chinese Football Association Member Management Measures," and the "2024 Chinese Football Association Financial Report." At the conclusion, Song Kai presented plaques to five regional youth training centers located in Shenzhen, Suzhou, Xi’an, Dalian, and Chengdu.