Ante Milicic parts ways with Chinese national women's football team

Ante Milicic has been relieved of his duties as head coach of the Chinese national women's football team, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) confirmed on Friday.

Ante Milicic, head coach of the Chinese national women's football team, attends the press conference prior to the friendly match between China and Australia in Sydney, Australia, June 2, 2024. (Xinhua/Ma Ping)

"After negotiations and given Mr. Milicic's family circumstances, the CFA has decided that Milicic will no longer serve as head coach, and the entire foreign coaching team will leave concurrently. The CFA would like to thank Mr. Milicic and his staff for their commitments throughout their tenure and wish them all the best for the future," read a statement.

Milicic was appointed in May 2024. The Australian then guided China to the semifinals of the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup and a fourth-place finish at the recently concluded Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.

According to the CFA, it will confirm the national team's coaching setup for the next phase based on its upcoming commitments and continue preparations for the qualifiers for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.