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Hong Kong national football team

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Hong Kong, China
Shirt badge/Association crest
AssociationFootball Association of Hong Kong, China (HKFA)
中國香港足球總會
ConfederationAFC (Asia)
Sub-confederationEAFF (East Asia)
Head coachRoberto Losada
CaptainYapp Hung Fai
Most capsYapp Hung Fai (112)
Top scorerChan Siu Ki (37)
Home stadiumHong Kong Stadium
Kai Tak Sports Park
Mong Kok Stadium
FIFA codeHKG
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 156 Steady (20 July 2026)[1]
Highest90 (21 February 1996)
Lowest172 (7 November 2012)
First international
 South Korea 3–3 Hong Kong 
(Manila, Philippines; 2 May 1954)
Biggest win
 Hong Kong 15–0 Guam 
(Taipei, Taiwan; 7 March 2005)[2]
Biggest defeat
 China 7–0 Hong Kong 
(Guangzhou, China; 17 November 2004)
 Hong Kong 0–7 Paraguay 
(So Kon Po, Hong Kong; 17 November 2010)
 Hong Kong 0–7 Argentina 
(So Kon Po, Hong Kong; 14 October 2014)
Asian Cup
Appearances4 (first in 1956)
Best resultThird place (1956)
EAFF E-1 Football Championship
Appearances5 (first in 2003)
Best resultFourth place (2003, 2010, 2019, 2022, 2025)
FIFA ASEAN Cup
Appearances1 (first in 2026)
Best resultTBD (Challenge Division, 2026)
Medal record
Men's football
AFC Asian Cup
Bronze medal – third place1956 Hong KongTeam

The Hong Kong football representative team (Chinese: 香港足球代表隊; Cantonese Yale: Hēunggóng jūkkàuh doihbíu deuih; recognised as Hong Kong, China by FIFA) represents Hong Kong in international football and is controlled by the Football Association of Hong Kong, China, the governing body for football in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong had never qualified for the FIFA World Cup. They hosted the first AFC Asian Cup in 1956 and won third place, also reaching the semifinals in 1964. Hong Kong did not qualify for another AFC tournament until 2023. They have also qualified for the EAFF E-1 Football Championship five times, in 2003, 2010, 2019, 2022 and 2025.

Hong Kong would also host the Challenge Division tournament of the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup in 2026.

History

[edit]

Establishment and pre-WWII era

[edit]

Before Hong Kong became a member of FIFA in 1954, Hong Kong began playing in the Hong Kong–Macau Interport tournament in 1937,[3] which was one of the oldest competitions co-held by Hong Kong as well as continuously played. There were other interport tournaments in the past, such as the Shanghai-Hong Kong Interport which was first held in 1908.[4] At that time the team was composed of ethnic Chinese as well as western expatriates, as in the 1935 and 1937 edition of Shanghai-Hong Kong Interport.[5][6] There was another Interport tournament against Saigon.[7] The aforementioned Macau, Shanghai and Saigon were not a member of FIFA nor a sovereign nation at that time, with Hong Kong and Macau only having joined FIFA in 1954 and 1978 respectively.

The China national team that participated in 1936 and 1948 Summer Olympics, were mainly composed of ethnic Chinese players from Hong Kong, most famously Lee Wai Tong.[8][9] After WWII, a number of Shanghai-based players began representing Hong Kong, such as Chang King Hai and Hsu King Shing.

FIFA member (1954–present)

[edit]

The Hong Kong FA became a member of FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation in 1954. Since then Hong Kong played their first FIFA-recognised international match against other countries. The HKFA also sent a scratch team for 1957 Merdeka Tournament, which was composed of players from Eastern due to their proximity, plus few players from other clubs. The club was having a pre-season tour in South Asia, thus the HKFA invited the club to represent Hong Kong. However, some of the players were in fact ineligible to play for Hong Kong, as they were ROC (Taiwan) international players.[10][11]

Hong Kong qualified for three of the first four editions of the Asian Cup, including a third-place finish in the 1956 edition as host. At that time, most Hong Kong players represented Republic of China; they finished third in the Asian Cup in the 1960 edition, leaving more inferior players to the proper Hong Kong team.[12]

The 1998 World Cup Asian qualifiers was considered one of Hong Kong's darkest moments as it was hit by a match-fixing scandal that involved former Sing Tao striker Chan Tsz-Kong who was found guilty and jailed for a year after he bribed players to throw and lose a match against Thailand. Others who were involved include goalkeeper Kevin Lok Kar-Win, defenders Chan Chi-Keung and Lau Chi Yuen and striker Wai Kwan-Lung.[13]

Football fever in 2015

[edit]

In 2015, a short football fever appeared during the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification matches in Hong Kong under the guidance of Kim Pan Gon, as Hong Kong had been drawn into the same group with their fierce rival, China. Due to the tensions built up from the Hong Kong–Mainland China conflict, many local citizens became interested in this year's campaign; all four home matches were recorded as a sellout. Hong Kong ended the campaign with 4 victories against Bhutan and Maldives, 2 scoreless draws against China, and 2 losses against Qatar.

Post-Kim era

[edit]

In late 2018, after the sudden departure of Kim Pan-gon, English coach Gary White was hired as the new head coach in which under his guidance, he helped Hong Kong secure qualification for their third appearance at the EAFF E-1 Football Championship finals after a narrow win against Chinese Taipei, a draw against North Korea and a heavy win against Mongolia. Shortly afterwards, White departed from the role.

In April 2019, Hong Kong appointed Finnish coach Mixu Paatelainen as the new head coach of the national football team in time for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and the 2019 EAFF E-1 Football Championship tournament. His first game in charge ended in a disappointing and surprising loss at home during friendly international against Chinese Taipei.[14] After a run of poor performances throughout the World Cup qualifiers and the 2019 EAFF E-1 Football Championship, Mixu Paatelainen's contract was not renewed.

Return to the Asian Cup

[edit]
Hong Kong's 2023 Asian Cup team.

On 13 December 2021, Norwegian coach Jørn Andersen who formerly guided North Korea was named as the new head coach succeeding Mixu Paatelainen in preparation for the third round of qualification of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.[15] He guided Hong Kong to qualify for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup by beating Afghanistan 2–1 and Cambodia 3–0, reaching the final tournament after a 55-year absence.[16]

On 15 January 2024, Hong Kong then kicked off their 2023 Asian Cup campaign against UAE in which they lost 3–1 in the opening match where Chan Siu Kwan scored the 1,000th goal in the AFC Asian Cup history.[17] They eventually finished the campaign at the bottom of their group after losses against Iran (0–1) and Palestine (0–3).

Post-Asian Cup times

[edit]

On 29 May 2024, Jørn Andersen announced his resignation as head coach of the Hong Kong national team after over 2 years in charge.[18] On 28 August 2024, English manager Ashley Westwood was appointed as the new head coach of the Hong Kong national football team, succeeding Jørn Andersen.[19] In September 2024, Hong Kong travelled to Fiji and played two friendly matches against Oceania countries, Solomon Islands and Fiji. In October 2024, the team also travelled to Europe for the first time where they played against Liechtenstein. On 8 December 2024, Yapp Hung Fai became the first-ever Hong Kong player to reach 100 international caps against Mongolia during the 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship Preliminary Round.

Kai Tak fever in 2025

[edit]

On 10 June 2025, Hong Kong played their 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification home game against India at the Kai Tak Stadium for the first time, which resulted in a 1–0 win for the hosts in the stadium's maiden official football match.[20] All tickets were sold out and a new attendance record was set for a Hong Kong football match with 42,570 spectators.[21][22]

On 18 November, Hong Kong failed to qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup after succumbing to a 1–2 loss against Singapore in front of a record crowd of 47,762. On 24 November, Ashley Westwood stepped down from the role.[23]

After Westwood's departure, the HKFA appointed former Eastern SC Roberto Losada as their interim coach leading up to the national team's final 2027 AFC Asian Cup final qualication match against India which ended in a loss. After 300 applicants, Losada was then fully appointed as the Hong Kong national team's head coach in early June. His side started off with a friendly international win against Mongolia at home and then an away loss to Cambodia.

Team image

[edit]

Kits

[edit]

The national team's home kit is typically a red shirt, red shorts, and red or white socks, while the away kit features white shirts, white shorts, and red or white socks.

Kit suppliers

[edit]
Kit supplier Period
Puma 1970s–1998
Adidas 1998
Diadora 2000–2005
Adidas 2005–2011
Nike 2011–present

Crest

[edit]

The crest of the Hong Kong national football team features a Chinese dragon. This logo has consistently been used as the team's emblem. The HKFA emblem was not used on jerseys until 31 May 2011, HKFA debuted current emblem for the national team.

Home stadiums

[edit]

The team's primary stadium are Hong Kong Stadium and Kai Tak Sports Park. For selected friendly matches and minor qualification matches, the Hong Kong team plays most often at the Mong Kok Stadium in Kowloon.[24]

The Jockey Club HKFA Football Training Centre is currently the main training ground for the Hong Kong national and youth teams.

Rivalries

[edit]

China

[edit]

Hong Kong maintains a specific rivalry with China. The rivalry began in 1978 and on 19 May 1985, Hong Kong produced a shock 2–1 upset in Beijing in the 1986 World Cup qualifying game, leading to unrest by Chinese supporters.[25]

Since then, China was unbeaten against to Hong Kong but the rivalry continues and even got heated up since the conflict between Hong Kong and China in the 2010s.[26][27][28]

On 1 January 2024, Hong Kong defeated China 2–1 in a closed door FIFA international friendly, marking their first victory in 29 years.[29][30]

Macau

[edit]

The Hong Kong–Macau rivalry has been contested by Hong Kong Football Association and Macau Football Association since 1937.

Results and fixtures

[edit]

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

  Win   Draw   Loss

2025

[edit]
4 September 2025 King's Cup Iraq  2–1  Hong Kong Kanchanaburi, Thailand
16:00 UTC+7
Report
Stadium: Kanchanaburi Province Stadium
Referee: Mongkolchai Pechsri (Thailand)
7 September 2025 King's Cup Fiji  0–8  Hong Kong Kanchanaburi, Thailand
16:00 UTC+7 Report
Stadium: Kanchanaburi Province Stadium
Attendance: 3,275
Referee: Torphong Somsing (Thailand)
9 October 2027 ACQ R3 Bangladesh  3–4  Hong Kong Dhaka, Bangladesh
20:00 UTC+6
Report
Report (AFC)
Stadium: National Stadium
Attendance: 22,343
Referee: Saud Al Samhan (Kuwait)
14 October 2027 ACQ R3 Hong Kong  1–1  Bangladesh Kai Tak, Hong Kong
20:00 UTC+8
Report
Report (AFC)
Stadium: Kai Tak Stadium
Attendance: 45,489
Referee: Hiroki Kasahara (Japan)
13 November Friendly Hong Kong  1–1  Cambodia So Kon Po, Hong Kong
20:00 UTC+8
Report
Stadium: Hong Kong Stadium
Attendance: 7,480
Referee: Lê Vũ Linh (Vietnam)
18 November 2027 ACQ R3 Hong Kong  1–2  Singapore Kai Tak, Hong Kong
20:00 UTC+8
Report
Stadium: Kai Tak Stadium
Attendance: 47,762
Referee: Sivakorn Pu-udom (Thailand)

2026

[edit]
31 March 2027 ACQ R3 India  2–1  Hong Kong Kochi, India
19:00 UTC+5:30
Report
Report (AFC)
Stadium: Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium
Attendance: 22,690
Referee: Songkran Bunmeekiart (Thailand)
5 June Friendly Hong Kong  2–0  Mongolia So Kon Po, Hong Kong
20:00 UTC+8
Report Stadium: Hong Kong Stadium
Attendance: 6,016
Referee: Hoàng Ngọc Hà (Vietnam)
9 June Friendly Cambodia  2–0  Hong Kong Phnom Penh, Cambodia
19:00 UTC+7
Report Stadium: Olympic Stadium
Attendance: 20,685
Referee: Yudi Nurcahya (Indonesia)
September–October 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup Challenge Division Group A Hong Kong  v TBD Hong Kong
: UTC+8
September–October 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup Challenge Division Group A Hong Kong  v TBD Hong Kong
: UTC+8

Coaching staff

[edit]
Position Name
Head coach Hong Kong Roberto Losada
Assistant coaches Hong Kong Fernando Recio
Hong Kong Cristiano Cordeiro
Hong Kong Poon Man Chun
Hong Kong Chu Chi Kwong
Goalkeeping coach Hong Kong Fan Chun Yip
U23 Head coach England Darren James Arnott
Analyst Hong Kong Anson Lee
Fitness coach Hong Kong Stephen Wong

Coaching history

[edit]

Last updated: Cambodia 2–0 Hong Kong , 9 June 2026. Statistics include international "A" matches only.

  1. ↑ Calculated by multiplying wins by 3, plus draws, divided by games.
  2. ↑ Fei Chun Wah was appointed as the coach of Hong Kong during the team's Asian Cup Final journey and the journey in Europe and Singapore afterwards as the official coach Lai Shiu Wing was not allowed to leave from his working place.

Players

[edit]

Current squad

[edit]

The following 22 players have been named in the final squad for the friendly matches against Cambodia on 9 June 2026.[32]

Caps and goals as of 9 June 2026 after the match against Cambodia.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Pong Cheuk Hei (2004-01-31) 31 January 2004 (age 22) 3 0 Football Association of Hong Kong, China Kitchee
18 1GK Tse Ka Wing (1999-09-04) 4 September 1999 (age 26) 10 0 Football Association of Hong Kong, China Tai Po
19 1GK Yip Ka Yu (1996-12-24) 24 December 1996 (age 29) 0 0 Football Association of Hong Kong, China Rangers
2 2DF Jay Haddow (2004-04-02) 2 April 2004 (age 22) 1 0 Football Association of Hong Kong, China Kitchee
3 2DF Oliver Gerbig (1998-12-12) 12 December 1998 (age 27) 31 0 Chinese Football Association Henan
4 2DF Vas Nuñez (1995-11-22) 22 November 1995 (age 30) 17 0 Chinese Football Association Yanbian Longding
5 2DF Kam Chi Kin (2004-03-06) 6 March 2004 (age 22) 3 0 Football Association of Hong Kong, China Kitchee
12 2DF Remi Dujardin (1997-06-23) 23 June 1997 (age 29) 1 0 Chinese Football Association Nantong Zhiyun
20 2DF Jordan Lam (1999-02-02) 2 February 1999 (age 27) 3 0 Football Association of Hong Kong, China Kitchee
21 2DF Yue Tze Nam (1998-05-12) 12 May 1998 (age 28) 41 0 Chinese Football Association Beijing Guoan
6 3MF Tan Chun Lok (1996-01-15) 15 January 1996 (age 30) 62 3 Football Association of Hong Kong, China Kitchee
8 3MF Ngan Cheuk Pan (1998-01-22) 22 January 1998 (age 28) 25 0 Chinese Football Association Qingdao Hainiu
10 3MF Wong Wai (1992-09-17) 17 September 1992 (age 33) 63 7 Chinese Football Association Nanjing City
14 3MF Sohgo Ichikawa (2004-07-30) 30 July 2004 (age 22) 3 0 Football Association of Hong Kong, China Lee Man
16 3MF Chan Siu Kwan (1992-08-01) 1 August 1992 (age 34) 35 7 Football Association of Hong Kong, China Tai Po
7 4FW Lau Ka Kiu (2002-02-10) 10 February 2002 (age 24) 7 0 Free agent
9 4FW Matt Orr (1997-01-01) 1 January 1997 (age 29) 48 13 Chinese Football Association Shanghai Port
11 4FW Everton Camargo (1991-05-25) 25 May 1991 (age 35) 26 12 Football Association of Hong Kong, China Kitchee
13 4FW Ng Yu Hei (2006-02-13) 13 February 2006 (age 20) 9 1 Chinese Football Association Chongqing Tonglianglong
15 4FW Ma Hei Wai (2004-02-03) 3 February 2004 (age 22) 5 1 Chinese Football Association Shaanxi Union
22 4FW Raphaël Merkies (2002-04-15) 15 April 2002 (age 24) 10 5 Chinese Football Association Shandong Taishan
23 4FW Sun Ming Him (2000-06-19) 19 June 2000 (age 26) 45 2 Chinese Football Association Tianjin Jinmen Tiger

Recent call-ups

[edit]

The following players have been called up for the team within the previous 12 months.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Poon Sheung Hei (2006-09-29) 29 September 2006 (age 19) 0 0 Hong Kong Lee Man v.  Mongolia &  Cambodia, 5–9 June 2026 PRE
GK Wang Zhenpeng (1984-05-05) 5 May 1984 (age 42) 8 0 Retired v.  Singapore, 18 November 2025RET
GK Ng Wai Him (2002-06-30) 30 June 2002 (age 24) 1 0 Hong Kong Southern v.  Singapore, 18 November 2025
GK Chan Ka Ho (1996-01-27) 27 January 1996 (age 30) 2 0 Hong Kong Lee Man v.  Cambodia &  Singapore, 13–18 November 2025 PRE
GK Oleksii Shliakotin (1989-09-02) 2 September 1989 (age 36) 0 0 Hong Kong HKFC v.  Cambodia &  Singapore, 13–18 November 2025 PRE
GK Yapp Hung Fai (1990-03-21) 21 March 1990 (age 36) 112 0 Hong Kong Eastern v.  Bangladesh, 9 October 2025
DF Shinichi Chan (2002-09-05) 5 September 2002 (age 23) 36 1 China Shanghai Shenhua v.  Mongolia, 5 June 2026
DF Tsui Wang Kit (1997-01-05) 5 January 1997 (age 29) 28 1 China Yunnan Yukun v.  Mongolia &  Cambodia, 5–9 June 2026 PRE
DF Leon Jones (1998-02-28) 28 February 1998 (age 28) 20 1 Free agent v.  Mongolia &  Cambodia, 5–9 June 2026 PRE
DF Leung Nok Hang (1994-11-14) 14 November 1994 (age 31) 14 0 China Shenzhen Juniors v.  Mongolia &  Cambodia, 5–9 June 2026 PRE
DF Alexander Jojo (1999-02-11) 11 February 1999 (age 27) 8 0 China Chengdu Rongcheng v.  Mongolia &  Cambodia, 5–9 June 2026 PRE
DF Dudu (1990-04-17) 17 April 1990 (age 36) 7 1 Hong Kong Kitchee v.  Mongolia &  Cambodia, 5–9 June 2026 PRE
DF Clement Benhaddouche (1996-05-11) 11 May 1996 (age 30) 2 0 China Changchun Yatai v.  Mongolia &  Cambodia, 5–9 June 2026 PRE
DF Callum Beattie (2001-08-28) 28 August 2001 (age 24) 0 0 Hong Kong Kitchee v.  Mongolia &  Cambodia, 5–9 June 2026 PRE
DF Cheng Tsz Sum (1999-03-20) 20 March 1999 (age 27) 0 0 Hong Kong Southern v.  Mongolia &  Cambodia, 5–9 June 2026 PRE
DF Loong Tsz Hin (2004-08-08) 8 August 2004 (age 22) 0 0 Hong Kong Eastern v.  Mongolia &  Cambodia, 5–9 June 2026 PRE
DF Li Ngai Hoi (1994-10-15) 15 October 1994 (age 31) 12 0 Hong Kong Eastern District v.  India, 31 March 2026 PRE
DF Yu Wai Lim (1998-09-20) 20 September 1998 (age 27) 9 0 China Meizhou Hakka v.  India, 31 March 2026 PRE
DF Nicholas Benavides (2001-11-05) 5 November 2001 (age 24) 10 2 China Foshan Nanshi v.  Cambodia, 13 November 2025
DF Lee Ka Ho (1993-04-26) 26 April 1993 (age 33) 0 0 Hong Kong Tai Po v.  Cambodia &  Singapore, 13–18 November 2025 PRE
DF Tsang Lok To (2005-07-15) 15 July 2005 (age 21) 0 0 United States Vermont Catamounts 2025 King's Cup PRE
MF Juninho (1990-12-11) 11 December 1990 (age 35) 26 5 Hong Kong Kitchee v.  Mongolia 5 June 2026
MF Wu Chun Ming (1997-11-21) 21 November 1997 (age 28) 24 0 Hong Kong Lee Man v.  Mongolia &  Cambodia, 5–9 June 2026 PRE
MF Yu Joy Yin (2001-10-08) 8 October 2001 (age 24) 19 2 Hong Kong Lee Man v.  Mongolia &  Cambodia, 5–9 June 2026 PRE
MF Lam Hin Ting (1999-12-09) 9 December 1999 (age 26) 5 0 Hong Kong Eastern v.  Mongolia &  Cambodia, 5–9 June 2026 PRE
MF Barak Braunshtain (1999-06-10) 10 June 1999 (age 27) 1 0 China Qingdao West Coast v.  Mongolia &  Cambodia, 5–9 June 2026 PRE
MF Fernando (1986-11-14) 14 November 1986 (age 39) 25 1 Hong Kong Tai Po v.  India, 31 March 2026 PRE
MF Mahama Awal (1991-06-10) 10 June 1991 (age 35) 15 0 Hong Kong Resources Capital v.  Cambodia &  Singapore, 13–18 November 2025 PRE
FW Michael Udebuluzor (2004-04-01) 1 April 2004 (age 22) 21 2 Hong Kong Lee Man v.  Mongolia &  Cambodia, 5–9 June 2026 PRE
FW Manolo Bleda (1990-07-31) 31 July 1990 (age 36) 4 0 Free agent v.  Mongolia &  Cambodia, 5–9 June 2026 PRE
FW Lee Lok Him (2004-04-18) 18 April 2004 (age 22) 0 0 Hong Kong Eastern v.  Mongolia &  Cambodia, 5–9 June 2026 PRE
FW Lau Chi Lok (1993-10-15) 15 October 1993 (age 32) 0 0 Hong Kong Rangers v.  India, 31 March 2026
FW Stefan Pereira (1988-04-16) 16 April 1988 (age 38) 21 1 Hong Kong Southern v.  Singapore, 18 November 2025
FW Wong Ho Chun (2002-04-02) 2 April 2002 (age 24) 2 0 Hong Kong Southern v.  Bangladesh, 9–14 October 2025 PRE
FW Poon Pui Hin (2000-10-03) 3 October 2000 (age 25) 16 3 Hong Kong Southern 2025 King's Cup PRE

PRE Preliminary squad.
INJ Player withdrew from the squad due to an injury
WD Player withdrew from the squad.
RET Player retired from international football

History of naturalised players

[edit]

During the 1950s, Arthur Santos who is of British-Portuguese nationality (whose son Leslie was a former Hong Kong international footballer) became the first naturalised player to represent the Hong Kong national football team who was then followed by another fellow Portuguese-born player named JH Toleido.[33]

In the 1960s, there were a couple more foreign players who had represented the Hong Kong national football team whilst some were working within the national service at the time. These include British players from T. Watson, Evans, Ken Wallis who went on to represent Hong Kong during the lawn bowls event during the 1990 and 1994 Commonwealth Games as well as Australian-born Pete McClaren and Scottish-born Charlie Wright.[33]

In the late 1970s, Scottish-born players Derek Currie, Dave Anderson and Hugh McCrory all became eligible to represent the Hong Kong national football team in which Currie and Anderson took part during the 1979 Asian Cup qualifiers whilst McCrory took part during the 1982 World Cup qualifiers.

There were at least a couple more naturalised players who went on to represent Hong Kong throughout the 90's which include Bosnian-born Anto Grabo along with fellow English-born players Mark Grainger, John Moore and most notably Dale Tempest. Sung Lin Yung became the first mainland born player to represent Hong Kong during the 1998 World Cup Asian qualifiers having resided for more than two years under FIFA eligibility rules unlike foreign born players that would usually require at least seven years.

In the 2000s, a couple of African and Brazilian-born players were introduced went through the naturalisation process having met the residential criteria. Nigerian-born Lawrence Akandu obtained his Hong Kong citizenship in which he played for the national team during the 2003 East Asia Cup finals where he scored a goal in a loss against South Korea. He was soon followed by Cameroon-born Guy Gerard Ambassa who obtained his permanent residential status in 2005 along with another fellow Nigerian-born player named Colly Ezeh and Brazilian-born Cristiano Cordeiro in which both of whom earned international caps during the 2007 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. Cordeiro was also the first non-Chinese captain in the history of the Hong Kong team during the 2008 East Asia Cup preliminary stages. Despite having played for the national team during the 2009 edition of the Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup, Cameroonian-born Julius Akosah attempted to apply for a HKSAR passport, however his application was unsuccessful.

During the mid 2010s, there had been an increase of naturalised players being used to represent the national team in which former head coach Kim Pan-gon stated that he needed to pick his best players regardless of their origin in preparation during the 2018 World Cup qualifiers.[34]

These include the likes of European-born players Clement Benhaddouche, Manuel Bleda, Dani Cancela, Jaimes McKee, Raphaël Merkies, Fernando Recio, Andy Russell, Jack Sealy, Jordi Tarrés and Sean Tse, Brazilian-born players Everton Camargo, Paulo César, Clayton, Dudu, Diego Eli, Fernando, Giovane, Helio, Itaparica, Juninho, Roberto Júnior, Tomas Maronesi, Paulinho, Stefan Pereira, and Sandro, Asian-born players Jahangir Khan and Yuto Nakamura, and African-born players from Wisdom Fofo Agbo, Alex Akande, Christian Annan, Mahama Awal, Festus Baise, Godfred Karikari, Jean-Jacques Kilama, and Paul Ngue.

In addition to Sung Lin Yung, several other mainland born players went on to represent Hong Kong from past to present which include Bai He, Chao Pengfei, Deng Jinghuang, Feng Jizhi, Gao Wen, Li Haiqiang, Liu Quankun, Huang Yang, Ju Yingzhi, Wang Zhenpeng, Wei Zhao, Xiao Guoji, Xu Deshuai, Ye Jia, and Zhang Chunhui.[35]

Records

[edit]
As of 9 June 2026[36]
Players in bold are still active with Hong Kong.

Most appearances

[edit]
Yapp Hung Fai is Hong Kong's most capped player with 112 caps.
Rank Player Caps Goals Position Career
1Yapp Hung Fai1120GK2010–present
2Huang Yang711MF2012–2023
3Lee Chi Ho700DF2000–2017
4Lee Wai Man682DF1993–2006
5Chan Siu Ki6737FW2004–2017
6Chan Wai Ho656DF2000–2017
7Wong Wai637MF2013–present
8Poon Yiu Cheuk624DF1998–2010
Tan Chun Lok623MF2015–present
10Tsang Ting Fai570DF1972–1980

Top goalscorers

[edit]
Chan Siu Ki is Hong Kong's top scorer with 37 goals.
Rank Player Goals Caps Ratio Career
1Chan Siu Ki37670.552004–2017
2Au Wai Lun26500.521989–2005
3Lau Wing Yip24390.621971–1986
4Wan Chi Keung18320.561976–1986
5Chung Chor Wai16450.361971–1979
6Ho Cheng Yau14340.411956–1968
Tim Bredbury14340.411986–1999
8Li Kwok Keung13340.381964–1972
Matt Orr13470.282021–present
10Yu Kwok Kit12130.921973–1977
Everton Camargo12260.462023–present
Kwok Ka Ming12480.251968–1979
Jaimes McKee12530.232012–2019

Captains

[edit]

This list only records the players who were named as Hong Kong captain in official international competitions. First-choice captains always go first.

Huang Yang was the captain of Hong Kong from 2018 to 2023.[37]
Year Tournament Captain(s)
1954 Philippines 1954 Asian Games Ko Po Keung
1956 Hong Kong 1956 AFC Asian Cup
1958 Japan 1958 Asian Games Ho Cheung Yau
1964 Israel 1964 AFC Asian Cup Cheung Wing Ching
1968 Iran 1968 AFC Asian Cup Kung Wah Kit
1990 China 1990 Asian Games Cheung Chi Tak
1994 Japan 1994 Asian Games Lee Kin Wo
1998 Thailand 1998 Asian Games Cheung Sai Ho
2003 Japan 2003 East Asian Football Championship Lee Wai Man
2010 Japan 2010 East Asian Football Championship Poon Yiu Cheuk, Chan Wai Ho, Au Yeung Yiu Chung, Li Haiqiang
2019 South Korea 2019 EAFF E-1 Football Championship Huang Yang[37]
2022 Japan 2022 EAFF E-1 Football Championship Sean Tse
2024 Qatar 2023 AFC Asian Cup Yapp Hung Fai, Vas Nuñez
2025 South Korea 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship Yapp Hung Fai

Competitive record

[edit]
See comprehensive article: Hong Kong national football team all-time record
Denotes draws includes knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

All time results

[edit]

FIFA World Cup

[edit]
FIFA World Cup record FIFA World Cup qualification record
Year Result Position Pld W D* L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA
Uruguay 1930 to Switzerland 1954 Not a FIFA member Not a FIFA member
Sweden 1958 to Mexico 1970 Did not enter Did not enter
West Germany 1974 Did not qualify 430143
Argentina 1978 133281531
Spain 1982 403134
Mexico 1986 8512207
Italy 1990 6033510
United States 1994 8215919
France 1998 4103310
South Korea Japan 2002 6114310
Germany 2006 6204515
South Africa 2010 4211116
Brazil 2014 200208
Russia 2018 8422135
Qatar 2022 8125413
Canada Mexico United States 2026 8125817
Morocco Portugal Spain 2030 To be determined To be determined
Saudi Arabia 2034
Total—0/18–––––– 89251846103158

AFC Asian Cup

[edit]

EAFF E-1 Football Championship

[edit]

FIFA ASEAN Cup

[edit]

Asian Games

[edit]

Friendly tournaments

[edit]
Friendly tournaments
Competition Result Position Pld W D* L GF GA
Malaysia 1965 Merdeka TournamentSeventh place76222119
Malaysia 1966 Merdeka TournamentFirst round9501428
Malaysia 1967 Merdeka TournamentSixth place66204618
Malaysia 1970 Merdeka TournamentFourth place473131014
Malaysia 1971 Merdeka TournamentEighth place86204614
Malaysia 1972 Merdeka TournamentSixth place6622288
Malaysia 1974 Merdeka TournamentThird place3413155
Malaysia 1975 Merdeka TournamentFifth place573041713
China 1977 Beijing Invited TournamentRunners-up2320182
China 1983 Great Wall CupEighth place8412144
Hong Kong 2006 Carlsberg CupFourth place4200207
Chinese Taipei 2011 Long Teng CupWinners13210144
Myanmar 2016 AYA Bank CupFourth place4201125
Fiji 2024 Tri-Nations SeriesWinners1211041
Thailand 2025 King's CupThird Place3210191
Total2 Titles

Honours

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Continental

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Friendly

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Awards

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  • EAFF Championship Fair Play Award (1): 2010

Summary

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Only official honours are included, according to FIFA statutes (competitions organized/recognized by FIFA or an affiliated confederation).

Competition1st place, gold medalist(s)2nd place, silver medalist(s)3rd place, bronze medalist(s)Total
AFC Asian Cup 0011
Total0011

See also

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References

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Notes

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Citations

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  1. ↑ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking". 20 July 2026. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
  2. ↑ "Hong Kong matches, ratings and points exchanged". World Football Elo Ratings. Retrieved 22 January 2025.
  3. ↑ "maan6 taam4 gong2 ou3 fau6 zai3 coi3" 漫談港澳埠際賽 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). HKFA. 15 June 2008. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 15 June 2008.
  4. ↑ "wu6 gong2 bui1 wui4 gu3 (jat1)" 滬港盃回顧 (一) (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). HKFA. 8 November 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  5. ↑ "gong2 wu6 fau6 zai3 zuk1 kau4 coi3" 港滬埠際足球賽. The Kung Sheung Evening News (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Hong Kong. 28 January 1935 – via Hong Kong Public Libraries MMIS.
  6. ↑ "Colony soccer team favoured, but Shanghai are dangerous. Fung King Cheong must succeed, will Wilson find form?". The China Mail. Hong Kong. 10 February 1937 – via Hong Kong Public Libraries MMIS.
  7. ↑ "san1 ceon1 gaai1 zit3 zuk1 kau4 daai6 coi3 hoeng1 gong2 deoi3 kong3 sai1 gung3" 新春佳節足球大賽香港對抗西貢. The Kung Sheung Evening News (in Chinese). Hong Kong. 29 January 1949 – via Hong Kong Public Libraries.
  8. ↑ "NewspaperSG – Terms and Conditions" 我國參加世運足球隊遴選前後內幕六月上旬經星將作戰兩場. Nanyang Siang Pau. Singapore. 12 April 1948. Retrieved 9 September 2017 – via Singapore National Library.
  9. ↑ "NewspaperSG – Terms and Conditions" 世運足球隊一行十九人昨日下午殺抵本土容領隊發表出國戰况及出席世運日期並謂馮景祥張金海日內動程來星集隊. Nanyang Siang Pau. Singapore. 18 May 1948. Retrieved 9 September 2017 – via Singapore National Library.
  10. ↑ Lee, John C.W. (2015). 足球王國：戰後初期的香港足球 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Hong Kong: Joint Publishing. p. 72. ISBN 9789620437823. Retrieved 18 December 2017 – via Google Books preview.
  11. ↑ 足總首次執委會議 渣甸東華均獲陞甲組 足聯抗議另開會研討 參加馬來亞獨立賽擬請東方代表. Wah Kiu Yat Po (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 14 August 1957. p. 8.
  12. ↑ "The Influence of Hong Kong South China" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  13. ↑ "Football: Eight charged over betting scam". The Independent. 23 October 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  14. ↑ Bennett, Ben (12 June 2019). "Hong Kong fall to disappointing defeat to Chinese Taipei – offside.hk". Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  15. ↑ Standard, The. "Former North Korea coach Andersen takes over Hong Kong national football team". The Standard. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  16. ↑ "Hong Kong can dare to dream after reaching Asian Cup for first time since 1968". South China Morning Post. 14 June 2022. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  17. ↑ "Philip Chan scores 1000th goal of AFC Asian Cup". the-AFC. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  18. ↑ "香港隊 辭任主教練 安帥：收到冇得拒絕嘅邀請". on.cc東網 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 29 May 2024. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  19. ↑ "港足｜韋斯活任新帥信能帶領進步 足總得知過去任期短：看的是能力". sportsroad.hk (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 28 August 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  20. ↑ TVB News, 無綫新聞. "Team HK thumped India at Kai Tak Sports Park | 無綫新聞TVB News". 無綫新聞 TVB News (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  21. ↑ "Hong Kong, China beat India 1-0 in Kai Tak debut - RTHK". news.rthk.hk. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  22. ↑ "Record-breaking audience cheers Hong Kong to 1-0 victory over India". www.thestandard.com.hk. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
  23. ↑ Limbu, byPrashan. "Ashley Westwood out as Hong Kong head coach after Asian Cup heartbreak". www.thestandard.com.hk. Retrieved 24 November 2025.
  24. ↑ 旺角場今午雙喜臨門 港隊港聯同球迷賀歲. Oriental Daily (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Hong Kong. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  25. ↑ "The 'May 19 Incident': When Hong Kong football sparked a riot in Beijing". 26 August 2020. Archived from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  26. ↑ "Hong Kong and China to meet in one group". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 8 October 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2016 – via HighBeam.
  27. ↑ "Against all odds, Hong Kong hold China to 0-0 draw in World Cup qualifier". South China Morning Post. 3 September 2015. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  28. ↑ "EAFF: China beat Hong Kong as fans boo Chinese anthem amid protest flags in South Korea". South China Morning Post. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  29. ↑ "Andersen hails Hong Kong's 'aggression' in historic win over China". South China Morning Post. 2 January 2024. Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  30. ↑ Hawkins, Amy (2 January 2024). "Hong Kong beat China at football for first time in 29 years". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  31. ↑ "Hong Kong Representative Team Training Squad". Hkfa.com. 21 January 2009. Retrieved 9 January 2010.
  32. ↑ "中國香港足球總會". 中國香港足球總會. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  33. 1 2 "歸化交叉點——歸化香港，請居滿七年". FanPiece (in Chinese). Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  34. ↑ Chan, Lester (29 September 2022). "Obsession with naturalized players overlooks impending crisis – offside.hk". Retrieved 2 February 2024.
  35. ↑ "歸化交叉點——國援上馬又如何？". FanPiece (in Chinese). Retrieved 3 February 2024.
  36. ↑ Mamrud, Roberto. "Hongkong – Record International Players". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation.
  37. 1 2 "mou4 geoi6 ciu4 sin1 paai4 ming4 gou1 zyu2 gaau3 lin6 wai4 dak6: jau5 seon3 sam1 ceoi2 sing3" 毋懼朝鮮排名高 主教練韋特：有信心取勝 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). HKFA Facebook. 12 November 2018. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
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