Kung Fu Soccer (2026) Review: Stephen Chow Kicks Kung Fu Back Onto The Pitch

Stephen Chow's long-awaited return to the pitch is a spiritual follow-up to Shaolin Soccer, and this Kung Fu Soccer review begins with a simple question: can the magic be rebuilt twenty-five years later? The answer is a qualified yes, with plenty of flying kicks and cartoon physics along the way.

Kung Fu Soccer Review: The Story So Far (No Spoilers)

The Emei women's football team has qualified for a major Asian women's tournament, and nobody expects much from them. Their captain, Shuangshuang, leads a squad of mismatched talents who are hard-pressed to compete with the established sides.

Things change when a senior figure, Xu Feng, steps in to help. With his support the team becomes very difficult to beat. Then a dispute emerges, and the relationship that lifted them up becomes a source of trouble. That is as far as we will go.

What works

The core idea still delights. Mixing martial arts with football lets the film treat every match as a spectacle, and the set pieces are staged with the exaggerated, comic-book confidence that Chow fans will recognise. Passes become attacks, saves become acrobatics, and the rulebook is happily ignored.

The film also keeps a brisk pace. At 106 minutes it rarely lingers, moving from training to training to tournament with a steady stream of gags. The underdog template is familiar, but it is a reliable engine, and the film knows when to hit the big emotional beats.

There is warmth in the team dynamic, too. Giving the story to a women's squad gives it a fresh angle compared with the original, and the group's rivalries and loyalties give the slapstick something to push against.

Performances

Zhang Xiaofei anchors the film as Shuangshuang, bringing a no-nonsense determination that suits a captain who has to hold a chaotic team together. She sells both the physical comedy and the quieter moments of doubt.

Dilraba Dilmurat, playing Jade, adds glamour and energy, while Lay Zhang provides the pivotal presence of Xu Feng. Carina Lau, as the Grandmaster, brings a touch of old-school authority and dry humour. Hu Yu'an as Loony and Sisley Choi Si-Pui as 88 supply some of the broader comic colour.

Takeru Satoh also appears in the cast, though the material available to us does not specify his role.

Where it stumbles

The familiarity that makes the film comfortable can also make it predictable. Anyone who knows Shaolin Soccer will recognise many of the rhythms, and the underdog arc does not hold many surprises.

With a large ensemble, some characters inevitably get less room than others. A few jokes also rely on the same escalation trick, so the effect of a giant stunt can dull when it arrives for the fifth time.

The central dispute, meanwhile, is a promising source of drama, but it works more as a plot device than a fully explored conflict. Viewers wanting emotional depth may find it a little thin.

What to Know Before Watching Kung Fu Soccer

Tone and Pace

Kung Fu Soccer is light, energetic and happy to ignore the rulebook. Matches are treated as spectacle, with passes turning into attacks and saves turning into acrobatics, all in the exaggerated, comic-book style Stephen Chow fans will recognise. At 106 minutes, the film rarely lingers and keeps the gags coming from training scenes through to the tournament.

How It Compares With Shaolin Soccer

The film is described as a spiritual follow-up to Shaolin Soccer, so many of the rhythms will feel familiar if you know the original. The main change is the focus on a women's squad, the Emei team, which gives the underdog story a fresh angle and gives the slapstick some rivalries and loyalties to push against.

Who It Suits

• Fans of Stephen Chow's slapstick action comedies

• Viewers who enjoy sports underdog stories with plenty of spectacle

• Anyone after a light night out that does not take itself too seriously

What to Expect From the Story

The set-up is simple: a team nobody takes seriously qualifies for a major Asian women's tournament, and a senior figure steps in to help. It is a reliable template, so expect comfort over surprise. With a large ensemble, some characters get less room than others.

A Quick Tip

Come for the physical comedy and big set pieces rather than deep drama. If you want emotional depth, adjust your expectations, but if you are happy to let cartoon physics take over, you are in the right place.

Who will enjoy it

• Fans of Stephen Chow's slapstick action comedies who want another dose of his style.

• Viewers who love sports underdog stories with plenty of spectacle.

• Anyone looking for a light, energetic night out that does not take itself seriously.

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• Further reading: Kung Fu Soccer on themoviedb.org