中国将申办世界杯

China will host the World Cup at some point in the future, as this eventuality has already been included in the country's national plan for soccer reform, said a senior FIFA official.

 

中国足协一位高级官员表示，未来中国将申办世界杯，这已成为国家足球改革的一部分。

 

"There's no doubt that China will bid to host the World Cup, though it's not clear when we will do it. Hosting such an event is a national project; we will research it carefully," Zhang Jian, a newly elected FIFA council member, told Xinhua.

 

Zhang also noted that the recent structural reform of the FIFA council, which makes him a member of the organization, contributes to a good outlook for Chinese soccer.

 

"Internationally, the expansion of the Chinese soccer market means more benefits and opportunities for everyone in the industry," Zhang explained.

 

Hosting the World Cup is a crucial part of China's plan to become a "soccer superpower" in the next few decades. In addition to the government’s endless efforts in this pursuit, many Chinese enterprises have also invested in Chinese soccer, helping to strengthen China's influence in FIFA. Powerful conglomerate Wanda, for instance, became an official partner of FIFA in 2016, which is the highest level of sponsorship.