CFA fires Branko Ivankovic ahead of 2025 East Asian Cup

The Chinese Football Association (CFA) announced through its official website the dismissal of Branko Ivankovic from the national team head coach position — the decision was made on Friday evening.

The Croatian coach’s termination came after China’s failure in the 2026 World Cup Qualification campaign — the crucial defeat occurred against Indonesia in Jakarta three weeks ago.

In that ninth match of the third qualification round, China suffered a 1-0 loss to Indonesia at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium — the lone goal was scored by Ole Romeny.

This unexpected decision comes at an awkward moment as China will compete in the 2025 East Asian Cup in South Korea — the tournament begins in 10 days.