In twenty years, China has hosted the biggest competitions in the world, from basketball to athletics, via F1 or the two Olympic events, with well-oiled logistics still observed during these Games.
All that's missing is a football World Cup.
In anticipation of a candidacy hoped for by its president Xi Jinping, a renowned football fan, China is currently building or renovating many stadiums.
But several obstacles remain.
According to its statutes, Fifa cannot grant two consecutive editions of the World Cup to members of the same Confederation, which would allow China to be a candidate from 2030, after Qatar (2022), the United States, Canada and Mexico (2026), but there is also the unofficial rule of alternating continents.
Above all, there is a lack of “
political will
” for the moment, believes Cameron Wilson, founder of the Wild East Football website, which specializes in Chinese football.
"
Many believe that China does not want to host a World Cup until they are sure that the national team is good enough not to embarrass the country with heavy defeats and early elimination
", the host country being automatically qualified.
Of all the host countries, only South Africa (2010) was eliminated in the first round of the competition.
mockery
Despite progress and the reinforcement of naturalized players, the national team remains stuck in 75th place in the world ranking of Fifa.
Regularly the target of mockery in China, it suffered in early February against modest Vietnam a new humiliating defeat (3-1).
The reasons for this disappointing level for the most populous country in the world?
"
The lack of investment in the long term and the will to win in the short term
", in particular via incessant "
changes of coaches
", estimates Mads Davidsen, ex-technical director of the Shanghai SIPG club.
“
When I was in China, I advised to have a vision at 8-10 years old (in terms of play).
Then, you have to respect a defined timetable and wait for the results
”, he explains, judging China ripe for a candidacy “
in 2034 or 2038
”.
French globe-trotting coach Philippe Troussier, who worked for several Chinese clubs in the 2010s, judges that “
there is not yet enough infrastructure available and coaches capable of giving football lessons
”.
But having a competitive team is not enough to win a World Cup.
"
The competition (...) is much more intense than for the Olympics
" because "
the current format of the vote requires that the country concerned has an excellent relationship with the majority of the members of Fifa
", notes Bo Li, professor of management Sports at Miami University (USA).
"
In addition to having the support of Asia, China will have to have that of Europe and Africa
", or "
Chinese football officials are not very active within Fifa
", assures- he.
Qatar was also a footballing dwarf in 2010 when it won the organization of the 2022 World Cup. But it has been able to raise its level, going from 113th place in the world to 52nd today.
A model for China?
Yes, provided you make "
massive changes
", says Cameron Wilson.
"
Chinese people need to
'encourage parents'
to let their children spend time on something other than the endless hours of homework
," he said.
China must also rethink its sports institutions: “
Chinese football is dying because it is controlled by politics and not by athletes
”.
Philippe Troussier, now coach of the under-20s of Vietnam, however, believes that "
China is doing a good job to develop its football
" and that its selection "
is improving from year to year
".
“
Chinese football has evolved a lot
” with “
many academies
” of clubs which “
now invest in the detection, selection and training of young players
”, he underlines.
“
There will come a day when China will invite itself among the great nations of football (…) Participation in the 2026 World Cup could be the first step in its success.
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