With news that Michel Platini has said he will not support Sepp Blatter's bid for a controversial fifth term as FIFA president, and is considering running against him on a ticket of stripping Qatar of the 2022 finals and cleansing FIFA of a brown paper envelope culture, it is believed China are lining up a bid for the tournament.
Qatar’s status as host is now seriously in peril because of allegations that the 2022 bid might have been influenced by bribery, according to a series published by the Sunday Times.
[Dirty rotten scoundrel: FIFA fat cat Sepp Blatter announces the result of the fix]
If there is a re-vote for the 2022 tournament, the chief contestants will likely be Qatar's original rivals the United States and AFC members Australia, Japan and South Korea, but it is understood England, India and China are set to join the race.
Interestingly, the only person yet to make a formal declaration of candidacy in the presidential race against Blatter, Frenchman Jerome Champagne, is also basing his campaign on stripping Qatar of hosting duties.
Chinese president Xi Jinping is said to be a big soccer fan and is expected to attend the World Cup in Brazil. A China World Cup would be a piece of history, marking the first time the nation that invented the game would host its biggest tournament.
[Xi Jinping-ing it into the back of the net]
Shame we can't ask these Pandas if China is going to land it.
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