Competing in the inaugural FIFA Women's Club World Cup, Wuhan Women's Football Team vows to uphold the honor of Chinese football.

Written by Wang Wei, Han Bing, Intern Li Xin. At 16:00 on October 8th, Wuhan Women's Football Team will take on New Zealand’s Auckland United at Wuhan Sports Center in the inaugural FIFA Women's Club World Cup. This game is not only the first appearance of a Chinese women's club at a top international event but also Wuhan’s attempt to claim new honors amid a demanding multi-competition schedule. On September 27th, head coach Chang Weiwei gave an exclusive interview, thoroughly reviewing the team's preparation details and sharing goals and expectations for the tournament, consistently expressing a firm belief in “giving our all and never backing down.”

Looking at Wuhan Women's recent match schedule, the intensity is enough to pressure any team. First, on September 28th, the final match of the Women's Super League saw the team give their all to repay the support of leaders and fans throughout the year; immediately after the league ended came the quarterfinals of the FA Cup, maintaining the high competition level; then the team barely had time to rest before switching focus to prepare for the FIFA Women's Club World Cup. At 16:00 on October 8th, they will host Auckland United; a victory would lead to an away match against the African champion, and if successful again, the semifinal opponent would be the strong UEFA Champions League winner Arsenal Women. Meanwhile, preparations for the National Games are also progressing simultaneously, with that competition carrying significant weight as well.

“The tournament is set, and all we can do is face it positively,” said Chang Weiwei calmly and firmly when discussing the multiple competitions. “The duty of professional players is to perform at their best on every stage. Of course, we will also manage scientifically, coordinating personnel and adjusting form.” He revealed the team has developed a “phased focus” preparation strategy. They will give their all in the league’s final match, “There’s no extra demand on results, but we must show the fruits of a year’s hard work and give fans an explanation.” In the Women's Super League finale, they lost 1-2 to Hangzhou Women; the FA Cup will see moderate rotation to allow key players brief rest, “the goal is to preserve energy and form for the Club World Cup”; as for the National Games, “being a nationwide event, it carries great importance, and the team will unite to fight for good results.”

The “trade-offs” reflect a clear understanding of the FIFA Women's Club World Cup’s significance. According to Chang Weiwei, this event differs from domestic leagues and cups, “We represent the country, Hubei Wuhan, and the international image of Chinese clubs.” Even with tight preparation time, the team must dedicate its best resources to this tournament. Chang emphasized, “We want the world to see the strength of Chinese women's clubs, and we cannot lose this responsibility.”

Chinese fans are relatively unfamiliar with Auckland United Women. Founded in 2020, they won the domestic league titles in 2023 and 2024, as well as the Kate Sheppard Cup and Oceania championships in 2024 and 2025.

Winning the Oceania championship twice was no easy feat for Auckland United. In 2024, they won the semifinal 2-1 after extra time against Vanuatu’s Tafea and narrowly defeated Papua New Guinea’s Hekari United 1-0 in the final; in 2025, during the group stage and final, they met Hekari United twice and won each match by just one goal.

Auckland United’s head coach Figueira was formerly New Zealand’s U17 national youth coach and assistant coach of the national team. He coached Auckland City in the 2019/21 seasons. Although Auckland United dominates Oceania, no players have been selected for the New Zealand national team.

Chang Weiwei revealed that the coaching staff has conducted detailed scouting and grasped the opponent’s core characteristics. “We analyzed their recent matches in the New Zealand league, watched two games together, and gained a certain understanding of their players and tactics.” He believes the team’s biggest strength lies in their physical attributes, “Their right-back and center forward are both over 1.8 meters tall, strong and fast, with excellent finishing ability in front of goal.”

In Chang’s assessment, Auckland United’s physicality rivals that of Australian women's teams, “Their average height even surpasses Australia’s squads, and their physical confrontation ability is not inferior to Australian teams.” The only difference is “their aggressiveness is less intense than Australia’s women’s teams.” This detail became a key basis for Wuhan Women’s tactical planning. “We cannot compete with them physically; we must break through with speed.”

Chang Weiwei elaborated on the counter-strategy. Regarding match tempo, he stressed the team must run actively, using movement to stretch the opponent’s defense and weaken their physical advantage. Offensively, he instructed the team to “attack quickly, frequently pass behind the opposition, and use our ‘short, flat, fast’ speed advantage to create threats.” Defensively, he emphasized collective support, “The opponent is strong in one-on-one situations, so we must create numerical superiority locally to reduce their chances of breaking through and shooting,” especially limiting crosses “to prevent them from using their height advantage to contest in the box,” and minimizing set-piece opportunities, “Their physical edge is amplified during set pieces, which we must guard against carefully.”

To help players quickly familiarize themselves with the opponent, the team plans one or two focused training sessions after the FA Cup ends, “Time is tight, so we must use efficient methods to quickly build everyone’s understanding of the opponent.” Additionally, before facing Wuhan Women, Auckland United will play a friendly against Shanghai Women, providing Wuhan an “extra scouting opportunity.” “We will stay in communication with Shanghai, listen to their advice, and watch that match to further assess the opponent’s overall strength.”

Although the management team has repeatedly eased pressure on Wuhan Women, clearly stating “there is no specific performance target,” Chang Weiwei and the players have already set their direction — to leverage home advantage to win the opening match and advance to a higher stage.

“Playing at home with fan support is our greatest motivation,” said Chang Weiwei. “The leadership’s pressure relief is to help us release burdens, but as professional players, we have an instinct to pursue honor. We hope to defeat Auckland United, cross this threshold, and then continue to challenge the next opponent.”

In Chang Weiwei’s plan, the team’s goal is not just to “win one or two matches,” but to build a reputation for Chinese women’s clubs. “If we defeat Auckland United and the African champion, then face Arsenal, it will be meaningful for the team’s growth and the development of Chinese women’s football.”

Chang Weiwei concluded, “Whether it’s the Women’s Super League, FA Cup, Club World Cup, or the 15th National Games, we will give our all. Not for anything else, but to live up to the words ‘professional player’ and to everyone who supports us.”