Former FIFA Deputy Secretary-General Champagne Says China Should Bid For World Cup

Former FIFA Deputy Secretary-General Jerome Champagne said that China must successfully bid for a World Cup and host FIFA club and youth tournaments "to fast-track football's development," according to Matthew Hall of the SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST. Champagne, who intends to run against FIFA President Sepp Blatter in next May's election, said that "China must be at the forefront" of any future FIFA strategy to develop the sport globally. Champagne said that the China FA "should restructure based on Germany's model that proved successful at the World Cup in Brazil." Champagne: "The objective must be for China to bid for the World Cup. Bidding for the World Cup and hosting it is a huge speeding-up process for the development of the sport" (SCMP, 7/26).