If you look at the FIFA world rankings for the top national teams in the world, the Hong Kong men's national team ranks a mere 147th in the world, behind names such as St Kitts and Nevis, the Solomon Islands, and the Faroe Islands. Yet, just a short 50 years earlier, Hong Kong was once considered to be the "Football Kingdom of the Far East", with performances against the Great Britain team - a perennial powerhouse of the sport - generating awe and delight from the crowd. It is unprecedented to see such a drastic drop off in performance in such a short amount of time However, in Hong Kong’s case, there are several explanations that can be posed. Despite a drop-off in performance within the male national team, football culture within Hong Kong still continues to thrive.
A short history:
If you had to guess how football became introduced to Hong Kong, the educated answer would be from the British. Now while this is true to an extent, it was not so straightforward. With most British colonies at the time, sports segregation was prominent within colonial Hong Kong. Given the lack of public facilities, sports such as football were completely segregated from the majority of the native public and were only available exclusively to some European elites. Not to mention that there was still a prevalent stigma at the time against outdoor activities from many Chinese families. However, reportedly, this was all changed when a group of interested young Chinese boys decided to mimic the sight of Europeans kicking a ball they had seen from afar. From here, the growth of football in Hong Kong never looked back. South China was formed at the dawn of the 20th century, and being an all-Chinese team amidst a European-dominated sport, was highly popular within the local community. Coupled with the fact that they continuously dominated their European counterparts, the team entered more and more into the social consciousness. Popularity further snow-balled with revered heroes such as Lee Wai-tong lighting up the international scene, and internationally-renowned tournaments such as the Lunar New Year Cup generating avid fandom.
So what happened?
However, Hong Kong football has since never surpassed the glory days of the early 20th century. They have never qualified for a World Cup and have continually seen their global ranking plummet. With teams such as Japan, Iran and South Korea all improving, what was once a hallmark and face of Asian football has since seen themselves being left behind by their counterparts. There are several reasons for this:
Firstly, a shortage of football pitches. In 2019, there were only 335 football pitches provided by the HK government, many of which were not official sized. Although there are of course natural explanations for this given the restricted size of Hong Kong, it is still a pertinent issue that can hold them back
Secondly, there is a lack of professional players within Hong Kong. Data from the Hong Kong Football Association states that the number of professional players dropped almost 44% over the past decade.
One explanation for the lack of players can be the poor finances of the Hong Kong league. While it is the only professional sports league in Hong Kong, one look at its financial statements can explain why. Over the past 6 seasons, the average attendance per match at league games has dropped 19% to a mere 866 in 2019. Thus, the league's annual income dropped by 8% to only HK$93.4 million. Even then, an increasingly larger proportion of funding comes from external sources, rather than self-generated income such as tickets. All of this is widely unsustainable and continues to worsen commercial appeal for the league.
Nonetheless, despite all these issues, football is still beloved within Hong Kong. A decreasing amount of in-stadium watchers is not indicative of a lowering interest in the sport, as more and more people watch football from the leisure of their homes or at local bars. The English Premier league is also highly supported within Hong Kong, with many wearing team kits and merchandise anywhere you go. Popular teams such as Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea or Liverpool have all found large support from Hong Kong. The Premier League Asia Trophy - which bounces around host nations - also frequently finds a home in Hong Kong. Proving huge commercial success that further develops the sport.
The annual Lunar New Year cup also continues to garner attendance, with many spending the first day of the New Year watching the tournament. With teams from all around the world joining the competition, and former stars such as Fernando Torres gracing the pitch, the competition still generates large attention.
Conclusion:
Despite failure on the international stage, football is still an incredibly important part of Hong Kong culture. With adults imparting their love for the game and certain clubs to their children, this seems set to continue for years to come. Although lots have been hindered by the COVID pandemic, the love for the game remains as fervent and passionate as ever. Not to mention the success of Kitchee, both domestically and also internationally, which provides a glimmer of hope for Hong Kong football in the future.
Bibliography:
Writing: Eric Wang
Editing: Gaille Su
Graphics: Ashley Kwok
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