The starting lineup for the U17 national team against Arsenal: Kuang Zhaolei and Zhao Songyuan are in the starting XI, Pan Chaowei takes the field, and He Sifan is a substitute.

On August 3, at 19:35 Beijing time, the China U17 team will take on Arsenal U17 at Pudong Football Stadium in the opening match of the Shanghai Future Star Champions Cup. The starting lineup for the Chinese side has been confirmed.

[Starting Lineup]

China U17 Men's Football Team (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: 30 - Jiang Cheng'en

Defenders: 10 - Zhang Junhao, 18 - Liu Zhicheng, 25 - Nan Zixun, 2 - Wang Yiming

Holding midfielders: 9 - Pan Chaowei, 21 - Zhou Yunuo

Midfielders: 8 - Kuang Zhaolei, 4 - Zhao Songyuan, 13 - Li Jiarun

Forward: 3 - Jin Guancheng

Substitutes: 23 - Jiang Yuhan, 6 - Xu Zhengpeng, 7 - He Sifan, 11 - Xiao Chenxi, 15 - Zhang Xuyao, 17 - Kong Xinuo, 22 - Cheng Shenghan, 24 - Yu Jianan, 27 - Chen Junbo

Referee: Kovacs (Romania)

The Future Star Champions Cup takes place from August 3rd to 9th. The U17 national team is grouped with Arsenal U17, Athletic Bilbao U17, and Bayer Leverkusen U17.

The U17 squad will compete in the U17 World Cup this November, making this tournament an excellent opportunity for preparation. The roster includes promising talents such as Zhou Yunuo, Zhao Songyuan, Kuang Zhaolei, Zhang Xuyao, Xu Zhengpeng, and He Sifan, along with several new additions. However, overseas-based players Wan Xiang, Xie Jin, and Wang Xiuhao are not included.

Arsenal's U17 side features several players worth watching. Emerson Nwaneri, the younger brother of Arsenal's first-team player Ethan Nwaneri, scored a hat-trick against Chelsea in the 2025 U16 Premier League South, leading Arsenal to a 4-3 comeback victory. Malik Hashi, who netted five goals in the U18 Premier League last season, serves as the team's midfield engine and has already signed his first professional contract with Arsenal.

Additionally, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta's eldest son, Gabriel Arteta-Bernal, has been named in the squad. He plays as a right winger and has been training with Arsenal's U21 team since July.

The match referee is Romanian official Kovacs, who presided over the historic 1000th World Cup match this summer. He also officiated the 2025 Champions League final between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan. Just last weekend, Kovacs was in China to referee the Chinese Super League clash between Chengdu Rongcheng and Wuhan Three Towns.