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China may bid for 2026 World Cup, fans say no

By Liu Shanshan (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-07-16 17:10

Deng Zhuoxiang (C) of China celebrates with team mates after scoring against France in their friendly soccer match at Michel Volnay stadium in the French overseas territory of La Reunion June 4, 2010. [Agencies]

Related reading: China's World Cup dream will come true: Soccer boss

In just 16 years, China's devoted soccer fans may be spared the trouble of staying up all night for the World Cup as the country is going for its first ever bid, for the 2026 tournament.

Chinese soccer's ruling body, the Chinese Football Association, wants to join in the bid for hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup games, Wei Di, China's newly inaugurated soccer boss, was quoted as saying on sports.163.com.

Wei and other top soccer officials made the decision after their trip to South Africa, watching several matches and learning some of the host's football management lessons.

A commission made up of China's Super League companies also hailed the benefits of bidding for the World Cup after their return from South Africa. According to their research, holding the tournament has greatly promoted soccer as a sport and professional leagues in the host country.

The problems of Chinese football, such as match-fixing scandals and illegal gambling, were also rampant in South Africa when they won the bid in 2004, but those scandals are in the past now and can seldom be found, according to the report.

Joseph Blatter, president of Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), has voiced his support for China's bid for the 2018 or 2022 tournament, but the Chinese Football Association decided on 2026.

Now it's time for China. "We have 16 years to deal with those problems," said Wei. But Wei also expressed his concerns that China may miss the chance of being a host "if Qatar or Australia, who also belongs to the Asia Football Confederation, succeeds in the bid for 2022 World Cup," in which case, the 2026 host will go to a country outside of Asia.

But a survey conducted by sports.163.com, one of China's hot sports websites, shows that 50.99% are against China's bid for the 2026 World Cup, for fear that Chinese men's soccer team may behave badly, which would be shameful to the country.