China 2026 bid strengthens United States 2022 campaign

By Andrew Warshaw

September 18 – As FIFA’s World Cup inspection team retires to compile its technical report into the nine candidates for 2018 and 2022 and the lobbying and politicking move up a gear, the four Asian contenders could be in for a massive disappointment - through no fault of their own.

High-ranking sources close to FIFA have hinted strongly to insideworldfootball that a Chinese application to host the tournament in 2026 would be hard to resist, at the same time jeopardising any attempt by Japan, South Korea, Qatar and Australia to land the tournament four years earlier.

The winning bids for 2018 and 2022 are to be announced by FIFA on December 2.

So far, the United States are the only candidate to be officially bidding for both tournaments but are expected to concentrate sooner rather than later on 2022 alone.

Although that would mean them taking on the four Asian countries with only one winner, it is becoming easier by the day to understand their strategy.

Although FIFA has officially scrapped its rotation policy, a 2022 World Cup in the US would make Asia prime candidates to host the 2026 tournament - with China top of the list.

The Chinese are already making great play of this.

Wei Di (pictured), head of the Chinese Football Association, says he has already had communication with Sepp Blatter - and received positive feedback.

Strict protocol prohibits candidates from discussing rival World Cup bids but China is not bound by such guidelines.

In a statement many among his own confederation might view as disloyal verging on betrayal, Wei says he would actually prefer the USA to triumph in 2022 so that his country can lead the way four years later.

“I’d rather hope US could win the bid which means we’ll have a higher chance of success,” he told a Chinese newspaper.

With FIFA rules barring continents from hosting the tournament twice in a row, it was a telling remark.

Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Mohamed bin Hammam, a native Qatari, will not exactly be encouraged by such bullish Chinese intervention.

But if a majority of FIFA”s 24 voting members are unconvinced by any of the individual Asian candidates for 2022, he may not be able to halt what is emerging behind the scenes as a highly plausible process.

Whether or not hosting a second World Cup in the US would be a popular choice among grass-roots fans, the feeling among many seasoned observers is that China throwing its hat into the ring for 2026 effectively seals the gig for the Americans.

The fact that a country which is not even bidding looks set to play a vital role is one of the more intriguing elements of a complex campaign.

With Japan and South Korea unlikely to be given another shot 20 years after jointly staging the event, and Qatar’s case undermined after the FIFA inspection team cast doubt over its chances, the US has never been in a stronger position.

Winning World Cup bids is not just about who has the best case on paper.

There is no magic formula.

It is also about huge egos and who can provide the most convincing rhetoric behind closed doors.

Australia may appeal in 2022 but not half as much as China, with its economic and marketing might, four years later.

FIFA would positively swoon at the thought.

So far, the only votes the US can count on 100 percent are the three from its own CONCACAF confederation.

But with China lurking in the wings, several more FIFA Executive Committee members may start leaning towards the US over coming weeks.

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