Chinese Football Association head Wei Di has revealed China may decide to bid for the 2026 World Cup.
Bid could be made despite Asian conflict of interest
Chinese Football Association head Wei Di has revealed China may decide to bid for the 2026 World Cup.
This comes as a surprise as a number of Asian sides are bidding for the 2022 competition, and Fifa have previously stated that the tournament cannot be successively held on the same continent.
Japan, South Korea, Australia (who are regarded as an Asian country) and Qatar are all vying to land the 2018 World Cup, but Wei claims China could still stake a claim for 2026.
"After I came back home from the World Cup (in South Africa), I started to consider the bid," he told the
China Daily.
"I hope our government is aware of the nationwide interest. The earlier we start to prepare, the more likely it is we will succeed.
"I believe China has the capability as well as the facilities to host a successful World Cup.
"I know four Asian countries are bidding for the 2022 World Cup but it does not mean China cannot bid for 2026. We can still bid for it, even if an Asian country hosts the 2022 event.
"It's not all about success and failure. It's more about participation."
Wei also denied a report claiming that he wanted the Asian bids for 2022 to fail so China could then be in the frame four years later.
"I never said that I did not want to see any of the Asian countries host the
2022 World Cup," he added.
"It (the report) comes from nowhere. Such reports damage China's image.
Officials from the Australian embassy even called us and wanted us to explain."
