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 noted¹ that the recent structural² 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, helping³ to strengthen China's influence in FIFA. Powerful conglomerate⁴ Wanda, for instance, became an official partner of FIFA in 2016, which is the highest level of sponsorship.

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