Taiwan’s football team will be competing with 39 other teams for a place in the final qualifying round for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
The second round draw is set to take place next Tuesday. If successful, the team’s advance will also qualify the team for participation in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.
The team, competing under the name Chinese Taipei, defeated Brunei last month. This was the second time the team has progressed beyond the opening round since 2006.
In a recent interview with FIFA.com, team captain Chen Po-liang said that the victory provided a timely boost of interest in the sport among Taiwanese. In Taiwan, football is not as popular as basketball or baseball.
Chen is widely considered the best footballer the Taiwan team has ever fielded. During the interview, he said long-term planning and steady financial support will be needed to “maintain the momentum.”