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). 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 ==