The Chinese men's soccer national team has braced themselves to play all their home Asia World Cup qualifiers on neutral venues due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Head coach Li Tie, who has extended his contract with the Chinese Football Association to 2026, said Sunday, four days before his team heads for Doha, Qatar, to play a World Cup qualifier against Australia, that he had prepared enough tea for himself to consume for three months.

"I have made preparations for being unable to return to China for three months," he said.

He asked his players to be ready for that situation too.

"I have told the players that if any of them cannot bear it, they should tell me now," he said.

"I will support whatever decisions they make now, but they cannot tell me that they cannot stand it in the heat of our qualification campaign," the Chinese coach said.

China has been drawn against Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam and Oman in the final round of the Asian Zone qualifying tournament, which will be played in a home-and-away round-robin format. The top two of the group will qualify directly, and the third finisher will enter play-offs.

Li Tie's side will face Australia away on September 2 in Doha before meeting Japan as hosts five days later in Doha too.

"The Chinese side's World Cup qualifier against Japan set on September 7 will be moved to Doha," said Chen Yongliang, vice secretary-general of CFA.

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