China's youth soccer revival has netted another morale boost, with its men's under-17 squad's unexpected Asian Cup final run relieving fans, at least for now, from the disappointment of having no home side to root for at the upcoming FIFA World Cup.

As the whole world prepares to tune in the marquee tournament next month, Chinese fans will have to watch on as bystanders again, but not before enjoying a Cup final relevant to their team's future ambitions, thanks to China's recent breakout performance at the AFC U17 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.

They will also have a World Cup of their own to look forward to at the end of the year.

The Chinese U17 squad, arriving in Jeddah only eyeing the knockout stage as a marker of success, has pulled off one of the most inspiring turnarounds on the continental stage in recent years after stunning Australia 2-0 on Tuesday to reach the tournament final for the first time in 22 years — all the way from the brink of elimination in the group stage.

The team's deeper-than-expected run, which culminates with a title showdown against powerhouse Japan on Friday, has also helped secure its berth at the FIFA U17 World Cup, to be held in Qatar from Nov 20-Dec 14, marking the first time the Chinese men's U17s have made it to the global tournament since 2005.

The prestige and appeal of reaching the U17 World Cup, of course, is nowhere near that of reaching the expanded 48-nation senior showpiece, but it is enough to keep Team China's young talent dreaming big.

"My dream is to play in the FIFA World Cup. I want to keep improving every day, work hard and continue challenging myself against the best players in the world," forward Shuai Weihao, who scored the critical opening goal against Australia, said after the semifinal at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.

"I don't think there was a big difference between the two teams. Maybe, we just showed a bit more fight and determination than our opponents," the 17-year-old Sichuan province native said of the result, which came as a shock to many.

"We've proved that we can compete with the best in Asia at this level, so why not keep going and see what we can do in the final."

In a fine example of the team's high-pressing, quick counterattacking style of play, China's captain Zhou Yunuo dispossessed Aussie midfielder Oliver O'Carroll and threaded the ball to Shuai, who completed his bursting run down the middle with an easy finish that broke the deadlock five minutes into the second half.

Chinese substitute Xie Jin put the result beyond any doubt in the first minute of stoppage time, when he pounced on a loose ball inside the box, sealing the deserved win with a close-range strike and sending the vocal Chinese supporters into raptures in the stands.

"We didn't expect that we would be here before the tournament, to be honest," said Zhou. "We will allow ourselves to celebrate tonight, and then we will move on to prepare for the final with our utmost focus."

It's the second time in just four months that a Chinese squad has fought its way into a continental youth final, following the men's U23 team's final-match appearance, also against Japan, at its respective Asian Cup in the same Saudi city.

China's U23 squad was thrashed 4-0 by Japan in that final, played at the same stadium on Jan 24, signing off its Saudi campaign with a sobering reminder of the task that lies ahead.

The U17 unit, however, has a bigger advantage this time around, with Japanese coach Bin Ukishima barking instructions from the Chinese dugout.

Ukishima, who took over the reins of the Chinese junior program in 2024, attributed his team's breakthrough to its collective focus and resilience.

"Soccer is always about the team. Whether we score or defend, everyone is involved. I don't see it as an individual performance above the group," the 58-year-old former J-League player and coach said.

After opening its tournament with two straight round-robin losses to Indonesia (0-1) and Japan (1-2) in Group B, Team China stayed mentally strong and dug itself out of the mire with a crucial 2-0 win against Qatar in its final group fixture to edge out the Gulf nation and advance into the knockout phase.

A solid 3-1 effort over the host Saudis in the quarterfinals boosted Team China's confidence, while rekindling long-suffering Chinese fans' hopes for their national program's future.

The young squad is drawing huge attention from the nation's soccer community, where long-term commitment to youth cultivation is the consensus when it comes to figuring out how to turn around the fortunes of the underachieving senior side.

"Having twice reached a continental youth final in the first half of 2026, and to challenge Japan again, good job Team China! It's time, perhaps, for a turn of fortunes," veteran soccer journalist Ma Dexing with Titan Sports posted on Weibo.

Ukishima agrees. "We have done our research on this Japanese team after losing to them in the group, and we understand their weakness and strengths," he said. "I have my notes prepared to give our players when facing them again.

"Although I am Japanese, I am Team China's coach now. I will fight on my team's side with my best effort (to ensure the win)."