China's women's national football team represents the country in international football competition such as the FIFA Women's World Cup and the Summer Olympics. They are also known by their nickname, the Steel Roses.
China Women's Football Team History
China's inaugural match came in 1986 with a 2-1 defeat to the United States. Despite having only just formed, they won the AFC Women's Asian Cup that same year, the first of a remarkable 7 Asian Cup titles in a row. China enjoyed further continental glory in that competition in 2006 and 2022.
Meanwhile, the Steel Roses hosted the first ever Women's World Cup in 1991, reaching the quarterfinals. They improved on this 4 years later as they progressed to the semifinals, and in 1999 they went a step further yet again in reaching the final, however they fell short of winning the competition as they were beaten by the hosts, the USA.
The World Cup final was a repeat of the 1996 Olympic final, in which China also had to settle for a silver medal while the USWNT claimed gold.
