Kung Fu Soccer Opens With $73.6 Million at China Box Office
9 verified6 unconfirmed
Stephen Chow’s sports comedy “Kung Fu Soccer” dominated the China box office over the July 10-12 weekend, earning $73.6 million (RMB 500.3 million) in its first two days of release. The film, written and directed by Chow, follows a grassroots women’s soccer team that uses martial arts to compete in a high-stakes tournament. It stars Zhang Xiaofei, Dilraba Dilmurat, and Lay Zhang, and marks Chow’s return to the genre more than two decades after his 2001 film “Shaolin Soccer.” The strong debut pushed the overall China weekend box office to $101.2 million. Universal’s “Minions & Monsters” placed second with $8.1 million in its second full weekend, reaching a cumulative $32.4 million. China’s year-to-date box office total stands at $2.74 billion, down 38.6 percent from the same period in 2025.
What’s verified
“Kung Fu Soccer” earned $73.6 million (RMB 500.3 million) in its opening two days at the China box office.
The film was written and directed by Stephen Chow.
Zhang Xiaofei, Dilraba Dilmurat, and Lay Zhang star in the lead roles.
The story follows an all-female soccer team that incorporates martial arts into its gameplay.
“Minions & Monsters” finished second with $8.1 million, for a cumulative total of $32.4 million.
“Three Kingdoms: The Beginning” debuted in third place with $4.7 million, cumulative $6.4 million.
“Backrooms” placed fourth with $3.2 million, cumulative $21.8 million.
“Keep Real” took fifth with $3 million, cumulative $18.5 million.
China’s 2026 year-to-date box office revenue is $2.74 billion, a 38.6 percent drop from the same period last year.
Not yet confirmed
The film’s exact opening-day gross of $38.3 million, its Maoyan audience score of 9.4 out of 10, and a forecasted total haul of $368 million are reported by only one source.
Whether the film is a direct spinoff of “Shaolin Soccer” or simply a follow-up in the same genre is described differently across sources.
Additional cast members, including Carina Lau, Takeru Satoh, Zhao Lina, and Jimmy O. Yang, are noted by only one source.
Plans for a global rollout outside mainland China, with Singapore’s Encore Films handling worldwide rights, appear in a single source.
The overall China weekend box office figure of $101.2 million comes from one source.
Stephen Chow’s age (64), his absence from the cast, and co-production details (Hong Kong-China) are each mentioned in only one source.
Key figures
Stephen Chow (director, writer)
Zhang Xiaofei (actor)
Dilraba Dilmurat (actor)
Lay Zhang (actor)
Carina Lau (actor)
Takeru Satoh (actor)
Zhao Lina (actor, former national team goalkeeper)
Jimmy O. Yang (comedian, actor)
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter
