Tungsten carbide catalysts are used in preparation of ethylene glycol by hydrogenating degradation of cellulose. The catalyst includes tungsten carbide as main catalytic active component, added with small amount of one or more transition metals such as nickel, cobalt, iron, ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, platinum, and copper as the second metal, supported on one or more porous complex supports such as active carbon, alumina, silica, titanium dioxide, silicon carbide, zirconium oxide, for conversion of cellulose to ethylene glycol. The catalyst realizes high efficiency, high selectivity, and high yield in the conversion of cellulose to ethylene glycol at the temperature of 120-300° C., hydrogen pressure of 1-10 MPa, and hydrothermal conditions. Compared to the existing industrial synthetic method of ethylene glycol using ethylene as feedstock, the invention has the advantages of using renewable raw material resources, environment friendly process, and excellent atom economy.