For "hundreds of millions" of Chinese football fans including President Xi Jinping, hosting a World Cup "is the most common wish," according to XINHUA. But a consensus is "yet to be reached on when to lodge a bid." After an overall football reform plan was approved on Friday, talks about a World Cup bid "went rife again." Zhidan county FA Head Ding Changbao said, "It will probably hasten China's race for a World Cup." Ding had met Xi last year when the Chinese president "took time during his first state visit to Germany to watch a junior game in Berlin between Germans and young players from Zhidan." Jilin Sports Chief Song Jixin believes that China will benefit "in many aspects" from being a World Cup host. He said, "Apart from making profits, staging the World Cup will be a great boost to Chinese soccer." While pundits believe China should bid soon, "others fear that poor play from their national team would take gloss off the host country." A fan wrote in a blog, "Judging from the current standard of the Chinese team, they are very likely to be eliminated after the group stage even if China qualify for the World Cup finals as the host country. So what's the difference (from not bidding)?" Chinese Super League side Beijing Guoan coach Gregorio Manzano had a "different opinion." He said, "China should not wait any longer to bid for the World Cup. Hosting a World Cup will be a good chance to improve Chinese soccer" (XINHUA, 3/1).
