China sacks coach Branko Ivankovic after World Cup qualifying failure

BEIJING, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Football Association (CFA) announced on Friday the dismissal of national team head coach Branko Ivankovic following China's failure to secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The CFA confirmed in an official statement that its contract with Ivankovic has been automatically terminated after China failed to advance into the playoff stage of the World Cup Asian qualifiers.

"The Chinese Football Association expresses gratitude to Mr. Branko Ivankovic and his coaching staff for their dedicated efforts during their tenure with the men's national team and their contributions to Chinese football. We wish Mr. Ivankovic all the best in his future work and life," the statement said.

The CFA also announced that Dejan Djurdjevic as caretaker manager of the men's national team, and the Serbian will lead China's campaign at the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) E-1 Football Championship.

In February, Djurdjevic led China's U-20 national team to the quarterfinals of the AFC U-20 Asian Cup. ■