China’s football authorities have announced a new leadership structure to oversee preparations for the Tokyo Olympic Games, with Du Zhaocai, Party Secretary of the Chinese Football Association (CFA) and Assistant to the General Director of the General Administration of Sport, appointed as the head of the Olympic preparation task force. This move signals a clear intent to strengthen both men’s and women’s national football programs with a more systematic approach. Fans tracking developments on platforms like Cricket Exchange have already begun following these updates closely, recognizing the significance of this decision for the future of Chinese football.

For the men’s side, legendary former national player Sun Jihai will serve as the team leader of the Under-23 Olympic squad. By the end of the year, he will guide the team to Germany to compete in the country’s lower-tier leagues, aiming to sharpen skills, improve teamwork, and build the resilience required for Olympic competition. The emphasis is on real match experience against European opposition, which many believe is crucial for the squad’s long-term growth and its ambition to secure qualification for Tokyo.

On the women’s side, the CFA has partnered with Beijing Sport University to jointly develop the national women’s football program. This collaboration highlights a focus on academic resources, professional training, and modernized management. Beijing Sport University Vice President Chen Liren has joined the Olympic preparation office, where he will be in charge of coordinating the women’s team’s efforts. Reports confirm that two national women’s squads will be established, one based at Beijing Sport University and another at the Olympic Sports Center, a dual structure designed to maximize training depth and tactical options. Cricket Exchange discussions have pointed out that this dual-team setup could be an innovative way to broaden the talent pool and ensure healthy competition among players.

Interestingly, the newly formed task force leadership list does not include current CFA President Cai Zhenhua, who also serves as Deputy Director of the General Administration of Sport in charge of summer Olympic sports. This absence aligns with ongoing speculation that Cai is gradually stepping back from CFA affairs and may step down entirely at the next leadership reshuffle. His non-inclusion has been widely interpreted as part of a long-term structural transition in Chinese football governance.

The Olympic preparation task force also named deputy leaders Zhang Jian, Li Yuyi, and Lin Xiaohua, with several key department heads appointed as members. These include Chen Liren from Beijing Sport University, Liu Dianqiu from the national management department, Wen Lirong from the women’s football department, and Guo Bingyan from the technical department. To ensure smooth communication, Guo Bingyan has been assigned as the office liaison, while Chen will continue to oversee the women’s national team program and Liu will focus on the men’s Olympic squad.

This newly formed leadership group underlines the CFA’s determination to leave no stone unturned in the road to the Olympics. With the men’s squad heading to Europe for real match tests and the women’s team undergoing structural upgrades, the dual approach represents both tradition and innovation. Fans monitoring progress on Cricket Exchange believe these measures could help Chinese football break old patterns and step into a more competitive era on the global stage. For now, the task force’s work marks the beginning of a crucial chapter, one that could determine how Chinese football fares on the Olympic platform in the coming years.