Search Party
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Why India and China are never in the World Cup
Posted
July 18, 2026
Views
454,720
Likes
12,028
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1,673
Engagement
3.01%
July 18, 2026
454,720
12,028
1,673
3.01%
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16:07Now PlayingIt’s not due to a lack of interest.
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This newly expanded World Cup has allowed a few tiny countries to make their World debut. Cape Verde has a population of 525,000. Curacao’s is just 156,000. China and India have a combined population of almost 3 billion people – yet they couldn't find 11 players good enough to qualify. In fact, China has only made the World Cup once — in 2002. And it lost every match. India qualified once in 1950 — then pulled out. (Just for comparison, North Korea has been to two World Cups.)
This is, to me, one of the World Cup’s most intriguing curiosities because both countries do actually have deep roots in football and both are trying to get better.
This video will explain what is holding each country back from the World Cup. In India’s case, it's both a preference for cricket and a refusal to recruit football players from abroad. China’s leader, Xi Jinping loves football and has spent a decade desperate to improve China’s team, but it's his own government’s corruption getting in the way.
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About:
Search Party is led and produced by Sam Ellis, a journalist, director, editor, and animator based in New York City. For more than 6 years, Ellis produced the hugely popular video series, Vox Atlas, for which he earned an Emmy nomination. He specializes in breaking down the most complex new stories and presenting them with a refreshing, accessible, and engaging visual style.
He’s produced explainers on some of the world’s thorniest geopolitical stories; from corruption scandals in Latin America, conflict in the Middle East, and the rise of China, to the world of sports; the Monaco Grand Prix, the FIFA corruption scandal, and the 100-foot waves of Nazaré, Portugal. Ellis has also directed multiple episodes of TV; notably on Netflix’s ‘Explained’ and HBO Sport’s ‘Level Playing Field’.
Got story ideas or tips? Reach out to the team at:
Email: sam.ellis@newpress.com
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