Hong Kong national football team
Men's national association football team
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Hong Kong football team representative (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.
中國香港足球總會
| |||
| Association | Football Association of Hong Kong, China (HKFA) 中國香港足球總會 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Confederation | AFC (Asia) | ||
| Sub-confederation | EAFF (East Asia) | ||
| Head coach | Roberto Losada (caretaker) | ||
| Captain | Yapp Hung Fai | ||
| Most caps | Yapp Hung Fai (112) | ||
| Top scorer | Chan Siu Ki (37) | ||
| Home stadium | Hong Kong Stadium Kai Tak Sports Park Mong Kok Stadium | ||
| FIFA code | HKG | ||
| |||
| FIFA ranking | |||
| Current | 155  2 (1 April 2026)[1] | ||
| Highest | 90 (21 February 1996) | ||
| Lowest | 172 (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 | |||
| Appearances | 4 (first in 1956) | ||
| Best result | Third place (1956) | ||
| EAFF E-1 Football Championship | |||
| Appearances | 5 (first in 2003) | ||
| Best result | Fourth place (2003, 2010, 2019, 2022, 2025) | ||
Medal record | |||
Hong Kong 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 had never qualified for the FIFA World Cup but have qualified for the EAFF E-1 Football Championship five times, in 2003, 2010, 2019, 2022 and 2025.
History
Establishment and pre-WWII era
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)
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
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
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 Chiense 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 Chiense 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
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
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.
On 10 June 2025, Hong Kong played their 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification home game against India at the Kai Tak Stadium, 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]
After securing a win and a draw against Bangladesh, Hong Kong required to win the penultimate tie against Singapore on 18 November 2025 at Kai Tak Stadium in order to secure qualification to the 2027 AFC Asian Cup finals.
However, Hong Kong succumbed to a 1–2 loss against Singapore which meant that they missed out on qualification. On 24 November, the Hong Kong Football Association announced that head coach Ashley Westwood stepped down from the role after failing to secure qualification.[23]
Team image
Kits
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
Kit deals
Crest
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
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.[26]
The Jockey Club HKFA Football Training Centre is currently the main training ground for the Hong Kong national and youth teams.
Rivalries
China
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.[27]
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.[28][29][30]
On 1 January 2024, Hong Kong defeated China 2–1 in a closed door FIFA international friendly, marking their first victory in 29 years.[31][32]
Macau
The Hong Kong–Macau rivalry has been contested by Hong Kong Football Association and Macau Football Association since 1937.
Results and fixtures
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
| 5 June Friendly | Hong Kong | 0–0 |  Nepal | So Kon Po, Hong Kong |
| 20:00 UTC+8 | Report | Stadium: Hong Kong Stadium Attendance: 6,092 Referee: Mongkolchai Pechsri (Thailand) |
| 10 June 2027 ACQ R3 | Hong Kong | 1–0 |  India | Kowloon, Hong Kong |
| 20:00 UTC+8 | Report Report (AFC) | Stadium: Kai Tak Stadium Attendance: 42,570 Referee: Alaedin Ahmad (Lebanon) |
| 8 July 2025 EAFF E-1 | Japan  | 6–1 | Hong Kong | Yongin, South Korea |
| 19:24 UTC+9 | Report |
|
Stadium: Yongin Mireu Stadium Attendance: 687 Referee: Thoriq Alkatiri (Indonesia) |
| 11 July 2025 EAFF E-1 | Hong Kong | 0–2 |  South Korea | Yongin, South Korea |
| 20:00 UTC+9 | Report |
|
Stadium: Yongin Mireu Stadium Attendance: 5,521 Referee: Ahmad A'Qashah (Singapore) |
| 15 July 2025 EAFF E-1 | China | 1–0 | Hong Kong | Yongin, South Korea |
| 16:00 UTC+9 |
|
Report | Stadium: Yongin Mireu Stadium Attendance: 1,423 Referee: Ngo Duy Lan (Vietnam) |
| 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 | Kowloon, Hong Kong |
| 20:00 UTC+8 | Report Report (AFC) |
|
Stadium: Kai Tak Stadium Attendance: 45,489 Referee: Hiroki Kasahara (Japan) |
2026
| 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) |
Coaching staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Head Coach | Roberto Losada (caretaker) |
| Assistant Coach | Cristiano Cordeiro |
| Poon Man Chun | |
| Fernando Recio | |
| Technical Director |  John Morling |
| Executive Manager | Graeme Chan |
| Goalkeeping Coach | Fan Chun Yip |
| U23 Head Coach | Darren James Arnott |
| Analyst | Anson Lee |
| Team Doctor | Dr. Wan Hay Man Keith |
| Fitness Coach | Stephen Wong |
| Administration and Equipment Team | Cheung Tim Ho Andrew |
| Samuel Chow | |
| Lau Chun Yip Tom | |
| Gavin Yeung | |
| Team Physio | Lo Ho Cheung Dennis |
| Kwong Hoi Hang Karen | |
| Leung Hok Hin Frankie | |
| Team Masseur | Wong Yi Sum |
Coaching history
| Name | Coaching career | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Win % | Points per game[a] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eric Keen |
1948 | ||||||
 Tom Sneddon |
1954–1956 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 16.7 | 1.17 |
  Lai Shiu Wing |
1958–1967 | 43 | 16 | 6 | 21 | 37.2 | 1.26 |
| Fei Chun Wah[b] |
1964 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.20 |
| Chu Wing Keung |
1967 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.00 |
| Tang Sum |
1968 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.20 |
| Lau Tim |
1968 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.60 |
| Hsu King Shing |
1969–1970 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.33 |
| Chan Fai Hung |
1970–1972 | 23 | 7 | 3 | 13 | 30.4 | 1.04 |
| Ho Ying Fun |
1973–1975 | 23 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 39.1 | 1.43 |
 Frans van Balkom |
1976–1977 | 21 | 7 | 2 | 12 | 33.3 | 1.10 |
 Chan Yong Chong |
1978–1979 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 57.1 | 1.86 |
 Peter McParland |
1980 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 25.0 | 0.75 |
| George Knobel |
1980–1981 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 28.6 | 1.14 |
| Kwok Ka Ming |
1982–1990 1997 |
47 | 16 | 11 | 20 | 34.0 | 1.26 |
| Wong Man Wai |
1991–1992 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.0 | 1.00 |
| Chan Hung Ping |
1993 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 20.0 | 0.80 |
| Koo Luam Khen |
1994–1995 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 25.0 | 0.88 |
| Tsang Wai Chung |
1996 2010–2011 |
38 | 11 | 8 | 19 | 28.9 | 1.08 |
 Sebastian Araujo |
1998–2000 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.17 |
| Arie van der Zouwen |
2000–2002 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 23.1 | 0.85 |
| Casemiro Mior |
2002 | ||||||
| Lai Sun Cheung |
2003–2006 2007 |
45 | 15 | 9 | 21 | 33.3 | 1.20 |
| Lee Kin Wo Chan Hiu Ming |
2007 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 40.0 | 1.20 |
 Dejan Antonić Goran Paulić[33] |
2008–2009 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 50.0 | 1.50 |
| Liu Chun Fai |
2011–2012 2018 |
8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 50.0 | 1.75 |
 Ernie Merrick |
2012 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 40.0 | 1.20 |
| Kim Pan-gon |
2009–2010 2012–2017 |
58 | 21 | 13 | 24 | 36.2 | 1.31 |
| Gary White |
2018 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 40.0 | 1.60 |
 Mixu Paatelainen |
2019–2021 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 8.3 | 0.42 |
 Jørn Andersen |
2021–2024 | 25 | 6 | 4 | 15 | 24.0 | 0.88 |
 Wolfgang Luisser |
2024 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 25.0 | 1.25 |
| Ashley Westwood |
2024–2025 | 20 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 50.0 | 1.70 |
| Roberto Losada |
2025– | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Last updated: India 2–1 Hong Kong, 31 March 2026. Statistics include international "A" matches only.
- Calculated by multiplying wins by 3, plus draws, divided by games.
- 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
Current squad
The following 23 players have been named in the final squad for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification match against India on 31 March 2026.[34]
Caps and goals as of 31 March 2026 after the match against India.
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GK | Pong Cheuk Hei | 31 January 2004 | 1 | 0 | Kitchee |
| 18 | GK | Tse Ka Wing | 4 September 1999 | 10 | 0 | Tai Po |
| 19 | GK | Yip Ka Yu | 24 December 1996 | 0 | 0 | Rangers |
| 17 | DF | Shinichi Chan | 5 September 2002 | 35 | 1 | Shanghai Shenhua |
| 3 | DF | Oliver Gerbig | 12 December 1998 | 29 | 0 | Henan |
| 12 | DF | Leung Nok Hang | 14 November 1994 | 14 | 0 | Shenzhen Juniors |
| 2 | DF | Alexander Jojo | 11 February 1999 | 8 | 0 | Chengdu Rongcheng |
| 5 | DF | Dudu | 17 April 1990 | 7 | 1 | Lee Man |
| 13 | DF | Jordan Lam | 2 February 1999 | 1 | 0 | Kitchee |
| 4 | DF | Kam Chi Kin | 6 March 2004 | 1 | 0 | Kitchee |
| 10 | MF | Wong Wai | 17 September 1992 | 61 | 7 | Nanjing City |
| 6 | MF | Tan Chun Lok | 15 January 1996 | 60 | 3 | Kitchee |
| 16 | MF | Chan Siu Kwan | 1 August 1992 | 34 | 7 | Tai Po |
| 20 | MF | Wu Chun Ming | 21 November 1997 | 24 | 0 | Lee Man |
| 8 | MF | Ngan Cheuk Pan | 22 January 1998 | 23 | 0 | Qingdao Hainiu |
| 15 | MF | Lam Hin Ting | 9 December 1999 | 5 | 0 | Eastern |
| 21 | MF | Barak Braunshtain | 10 June 1999 | 1 | 0 | Qingdao West Coast |
| 23 | FW | Sun Ming Him | 19 June 2000 | 43 | 2 | Tianjin Jinmen Tiger |
| 11 | FW | Everton Camargo | 25 May 1991 | 24 | 12 | Lee Man |
| 7 | FW | Lau Ka Kiu | 10 February 2002 | 7 | 0 | Lee Man |
| 22 | FW | Ng Yu Hei | 13 February 2006 | 7 | 0 | Chongqing Tonglianglong |
| 9 | FW | Manolo Bleda | 31 July 1990 | 4 | 0 | Eastern |
| 14 | FW | Lau Chi Lok | 15 October 1993 | 0 | 0 | Rangers |
Recent call-ups
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 | 29 September 2006 | 0 | 0 | Lee Man |
v. India, 31 March 2026 PRE |
| GK | Wang Zhenpeng | 5 May 1984 | 8 | 0 | Kitchee |
v.  Singapore, 18 November 2025 |
| GK | Ng Wai Him | 30 June 2002 | 1 | 0 | Southern |
v. Singapore, 18 November 2025 |
| GK | Chan Ka Ho | 27 January 1996 | 2 | 0 | Lee Man |
v.  Cambodia & Singapore, 13–18 November 2025 PRE |
| GK | Oleksii Shliakotin | 2 September 1989 | 0 | 0 | HKFC |
v. Cambodia & Singapore, 13–18 November 2025 PRE |
| GK | Yapp Hung Fai | 21 March 1990 | 112 | 0 | Eastern |
v. Bangladesh, 9 October 2025 INJ |
| GK | Ngan Ho Tin | 3 July 2003 | 0 | 0 | Southern |
2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship Final round PRE |
| DF | Yue Tze Nam | 12 May 1998 | 39 | 0 | Beijing Guoan |
v. India, 31 March 2026 PRE |
| DF | Leon Jones | 28 February 1998 | 20 | 1 | Eastern District |
v. India, 31 March 2026 PRE |
| DF | Vas Nuñez | 22 November 1995 | 15 | 0 | Yanbian Longding |
v. India, 31 March 2026 INJ |
| DF | Li Ngai Hoi | 15 October 1994 | 13 | 0 | Eastern District |
v. India, 31 March 2026 PRE |
| DF | Yu Wai Lim | 20 September 1998 | 9 | 0 | Lee Man |
v. India, 31 March 2026 PRE |
| DF | Clement Benhaddouche | 11 May 1996 | 2 | 0 | Changchun Yatai |
v. India, 31 March 2026 PRE |
| DF | Jay Haddow | 2 April 2004 | 0 | 0 | Kitchee |
v. India, 31 March 2026 PRE |
| DF | Loong Tsz Hin | 8 August 2004 | 0 | 0 | Kowloon City |
v. India, 31 March 2026 PRE |
| DF | Nicholas Benavides | 5 November 2001 | 10 | 2 | Foshan Nanshi |
v. Cambodia, 13 November 2025 |
| DF | Callum Beattie | 28 August 2001 | 0 | 0 | Kitchee |
v. Cambodia & Singapore, 13–18 November 2025 PRE |
| DF | Lee Ka Ho | 26 April 1993 | 0 | 0 | Tai Po |
v. Cambodia & Singapore, 13–18 November 2025 PRE |
| DF | Tsang Lok To | 15 July 2005 | 0 | 0 |  Vermont Catamounts |
2025 King's Cup PRE |
| DF | Tsui Wang Kit | 5 January 1997 | 28 | 1 | Yunnan Yukun |
2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship Final round |
| DF | Hélio | 31 January 1986 | 38 | 1 | Eastern District |
2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship Final round PRE |
| DF | Timothy Chow | 11 March 2006 | 1 | 0 | Free agent | 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship Final round PRE |
| MF | Fernando | 14 November 1986 | 25 | 1 | Tai Po |
v. India, 31 March 2026 PRE |
| MF | Yu Joy Yin | 8 October 2001 | 19 | 2 | Eastern |
v. India, 31 March 2026 INJ |
| MF | Sohgo Ichikawa | 30 July 2004 | 2 | 0 | Southern |
v. India, 31 March 2026 INJ |
| MF | Remi Dujardin | 23 June 1997 | 0 | 0 | Nantong Zhiyun |
v. India, 31 March 2026 PRE |
| MF | Juninho | 11 December 1990 | 25 | 4 | Kitchee |
v. Singapore, 18 November 2025 |
| MF | Mahama Awal | 10 June 1991 | 15 | 0 | Southern |
v. Cambodia & Singapore, 13–18 November 2025 PRE |
| MF | Tsang Yi Hang | 27 October 2003 | 0 | 0 | Lee Man |
2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship Final round PRE |
| FW | Matt Orr | 1 January 1997 | 46 | 13 | Shanghai Port |
v. India, 31 March 2026 INJ |
| FW | Michael Udebuluzor | 1 April 2004 | 21 | 2 | Free agent | v. India, 31 March 2026 PRE |
| FW | Raphaël Merkies | 15 April 2002 | 8 | 5 | Shandong Taishan |
v. India, 31 March 2026 PRE |
| FW | Ma Hei Wai | 3 February 2004 | 3 | 1 | Shaanxi Union |
v. India, 31 March 2026 PRE |
| FW | Lee Lok Him | 18 April 2004 | 0 | 0 | Tai Po |
v. India, 31 March 2026 PRE |
| FW | Stefan Pereira | 16 April 1988 | 21 | 1 | Southern |
v. Singapore, 18 November 2025 |
| FW | Wong Ho Chun | 2 April 2002 | 2 | 0 | Kitchee |
v. Bangladesh, 9–14 October 2025 PRE |
| FW | Poon Pui Hin | 3 October 2000 | 16 | 3 | Lee Man |
2025 King's Cup PRE |
| FW | Anthony Pinto | 23 February 2006 | 1 | 1 | Loughborough Students |
2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship Final round PRE |
| FW | Matthew Slattery | 5 April 2005 | 0 | 0 | Kitchee |
2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship Final round PRE |
PRE Preliminary squad. | ||||||
History of naturalised players
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.[35]
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.[35]
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.[36]
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.[37]
Records
- As of 31 March 2026[38]
- Players in bold are still active with Hong Kong.
Most appearances
| Rank | Player | Caps | Goals | Position | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yapp Hung Fai | 112 | 0 | GK | 2010–present |
| 2 | Huang Yang | 71 | 1 | MF | 2012–2023 |
| 3 | Lee Chi Ho | 70 | 0 | DF | 2000–2017 |
| 4 | Lee Wai Man | 68 | 2 | DF | 1993–2006 |
| 5 | Chan Siu Ki | 67 | 37 | FW | 2004–2017 |
| 6 | Chan Wai Ho | 65 | 6 | DF | 2000–2017 |
| 7 | Poon Yiu Cheuk | 62 | 4 | DF | 1998–2010 |
| 8 | Wong Wai | 61 | 7 | MF | 2013–present |
| 9 | Tan Chun Lok | 60 | 3 | MF | 2015–present |
| 10 | Tsang Ting Fai | 57 | 0 | DF | 1972–1980 |
Top goalscorers
| Rank | Player | Goals | Caps | Ratio | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chan Siu Ki | 37 | 67 | 0.55 | 2004–2017 |
| 2 | Au Wai Lun | 26 | 50 | 0.52 | 1989–2005 |
| 3 | Lau Wing Yip | 24 | 39 | 0.62 | 1971–1986 |
| 4 | Wan Chi Keung | 18 | 32 | 0.56 | 1976–1986 |
| 5 | Chung Chor Wai | 16 | 45 | 0.36 | 1971–1979 |
| 6 | Ho Cheng Yau | 14 | 34 | 0.41 | 1956–1968 |
| Tim Bredbury | 14 | 34 | 0.41 | 1986–1999 | |
| 8 | Li Kwok Keung | 13 | 34 | 0.38 | 1964–1972 |
| Matt Orr | 13 | 46 | 0.28 | 2021–present | |
| 10 | Yu Kwok Kit | 12 | 13 | 0.92 | 1973–1977 |
| Everton Camargo | 12 | 24 | 0.5 | 2023–present | |
| Kwok Ka Ming | 12 | 47 | 0.26 | 1968–1979 | |
| Jaimes McKee | 12 | 53 | 0.23 | 2012–2019 |
Captains
This list only records the players who were named as Hong Kong captain in official international competitions. First-choice captains always go first.
| Year | Tournament | Captain(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1954 |  1954 Asian Games |
Ko Po Keung |
| 1956 | 1956 AFC Asian Cup | |
| 1958 |  1958 Asian Games |
Ho Cheung Yau |
| 1964 |  1964 AFC Asian Cup |
Cheung Wing Ching |
| 1968 |  1968 AFC Asian Cup |
Kung Wah Kit |
| 1990 | 1990 Asian Games |
Cheung Chi Tak |
| 1994 | 1994 Asian Games |
Lee Kin Wo |
| 1998 |  1998 Asian Games |
Cheung Sai Ho |
| 2003 | 2003 East Asian Football Championship |
Lee Wai Man |
| 2010 | 2010 East Asian Football Championship |
Poon Yiu Cheuk, Chan Wai Ho, Au Yeung Yiu Chung, Li Haiqiang |
| 2019 | 2019 EAFF E-1 Football Championship |
Huang Yang[39] |
| 2022 | 2022 EAFF E-1 Football Championship |
Sean Tse |
| 2024 |  2023 AFC Asian Cup |
Yapp Hung Fai, Vas Nuñez |
| 2025 | 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship |
Yapp Hung Fai |
Competitive record
- See comprehensive article: Hong Kong national football team all-time record
- Denotes draws includes knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.
All time results
FIFA World Cup
| FIFA World Cup record | FIFA World Cup qualification record | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Result | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
 1930 to  1954 |
Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | |||||||||||||
 1958 to  1970 |
Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
 1974 |
Did not qualify | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | ||||||||
| 1978 |
13 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 15 | 31 | |||||||||
 1982 |
4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | |||||||||
| 1986 |
8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 7 | |||||||||
 1990 |
6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 10 | |||||||||
| 1994 |
8 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 9 | 19 | |||||||||
 1998 |
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 | |||||||||
 2002 |
6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 10 | |||||||||
| 2006 |
6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 15 | |||||||||
 2010 |
4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 6 | |||||||||
| 2014 |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | |||||||||
 2018 |
8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 5 | |||||||||
| 2022 |
8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 13 | |||||||||
 2026 |
8 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 17 | |||||||||
  2030 |
To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||
 2034 | |||||||||||||||
| Total | — | 0/18 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 89 | 25 | 18 | 46 | 103 | 158 | |
AFC Asian Cup
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EAFF E-1 Football Championship
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Asian Games
† Excluding 1998 onwards |
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Friendly tournaments
|
|
| Minor tournaments | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competition | Result | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA |
| 1965 Merdeka Tournament | Seventh place | 7 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 9 |
| 1966 Merdeka Tournament | First round | 9 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 8 |
| 1967 Merdeka Tournament | Sixth place | 6 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 18 |
| 1970 Merdeka Tournament | Fourth place | 4 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 14 |
| 1971 Merdeka Tournament | Eighth place | 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 14 |
| 1972 Merdeka Tournament | Sixth place | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 8 |
| 1974 Merdeka Tournament | Third place | 3 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| 1975 Merdeka Tournament | Fifth place | 5 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 17 | 13 |
| 1977 Beijing Invited Tournament | Runners-up | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 2 |
| 1983 Great Wall Cup | Eighth place | 8 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| 2006 Carlsberg Cup | Fourth place | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 |
 2011 Long Teng Cup | Winners | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 4 |
 2016 AYA Bank Cup | Fourth place | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| 2024 Tri-Nations Series | Winners | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 2025 King's Cup | Third Place | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 1 |
| Total | 2 Titles | |||||||
Honours
Continental
- AFC Asian Cup
Third place (1): 1956
Friendly
- Long Teng Cup:
- Tri-Nations Series
Champions (1): 2025
- King's Cup
- Third place (1): 2025
Awards
- EAFF Championship Fair Play Award (1): 2010
Summary
Only official honours are included, according to FIFA statutes (competitions organized/recognized by FIFA or an affiliated confederation).
| Competition |  |  |  | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AFC Asian Cup | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
