SHANGHAI, Nov.3 (Xinhua) -- FIFA president Gianni Infantino has expressed his hope that China will take "a leading role" in the future of global football.
"There is a lot of talent in China," Infantino said in an interview with Xinhua during his visit to China recently.
"We need to find and grow that talent to make sure China can compete at the highest level of men's football, women's football, club and national team football."
FOOTBALL: MORE THAN JUST A GAME
Infantino emphasized that football is much more than a sport; it's a unifying social phenomenon. "It brings people together," he explained. "Whether in stadiums or watching from home, we all focus on the same match and share the same emotions."
According to FIFA's Qatar 2022 World Cup Report, around five billion people engaged with the tournament, with 1.5 billion tuning in for the final between Argentina and France.
Infantino highlighted the growing role of technology in football, especially artificial intelligence (AI).
"AI and technology are having a big impact on football. They help players become stronger and healthier, and they also make the fan's experience better," he said.
"We embraced technology and introduced video assistant technology to football very early on. That is why we are working with Chinese companies to explore new AI technologies to help people experience football games in a comprehensive way."
The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system made its World Cup debut in 2018, and the upgraded semi-automatic version - with AI-powered tracking chips embedded in the ball - was introduced at the 2022 World Cup. Now the latest VAR iteration uses 10 cameras to track players' movements, feeding data 50 times per second to provide real-time analysis.
RAISING CHINESE FOOTBALL TO TOP LEVEL
Despite decades of struggle for World Cup qualification, China's involvement in global football remains significant, according to the FIFA chief.
"China is a very important country in the world, and whatever China does, it does it at the top. I want to work with China to bring China to the top of the world," said Infantino.
While acknowledging the challenges, he emphasized the importance of perseverance. "There is no shortcut and no secret. The only formula that works is to work and work hard. This is something we can do in China," Infantino stated.
"China has a large population of football enthusiasts. We need to start with the development of youth and talent. So we have to find the talent and grow that talent, making sure that China can compete at the highest level."
Infantino also outlined FIFA's support for China's football initiatives.
"We can send coaches, instructors, and refereeing experts, and we can also make courses. We'll do anything we can to help the development of Chinese football.
"We need to invest in the youth, and we need to make sure that China plays a crucial role at the top-level competition. We encourage the Chinese Football Association and FIFA to strengthen their cooperation and establish a solid relationship.
"Football is all about collaboration. As long as there is cooperation, investment, and a spirit of dedication, I believe Chinese football will shine brightly," he said.
In line with his vision, Infantino was in Shanghai this week to celebrate a partnership with Hisense, China's leading home appliance brand, which recently became the first official global sponsor of the 2025 Club World Cup.
"We have an excellent history of cooperation with many Chinese companies. Today's Chinese companies are globalized companies, and we can work together to promote the development of football," Infantino said.
MAKING FOOTBALL GLOBAL
Infantino spoke about FIFA's mission to globalize football, highlighting the upcoming 2025 Club World Cup in the United States. Running from June 15 to July 13, the tournament will feature 32 championship teams, including European powerhouses like Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, and Juventus. The format mirrors the World Cup, except with club teams, and the event will be held every four years.
"We hope that Chinese football clubs will participate in the Club World Cup and have the opportunity to host this important event," Infantino said.
"China is a reliable and important potential host country, whether for the men's or women's World Cup, the Youth World Cup or the Club World Cup."
Infantino noted that club fans are generally more organized and engaged than national team fans.
"Compared to national team fans, club fans are much more organized. They travel together, they go to matches together, they experience together, they sing together," he said. "The Club World Cup will make fans fully experience the competition and help promote the globalization of football."
Looking to the future, Infantino said, "We will have more global competitions. We want every country in the world to have the opportunity to participate in football events. We have made some changes, increasing the number of participants in the World Cup, including women's and men's, as well as youth competitions."
Starting in 2025, FIFA will host the U17 World Cup annually rather than every two years. ■
