China’s World Cup dream more distant after Covid leaves football in a mess
In 2011, a year before he became president, Xi Jinping talked of his three wishes for Chinese football: to qualify for a World Cup (the 2002 appearance is still the only one), to host the tournament and to someday lift the trophy. The first is still looking quite far away which means the third is even further. The second seemed to be a safer bet. It was assumed that at some point in the 2030s, Beijing would bid for, and be given, sport’s biggest event. After recent events, that is looking a little less certain.
