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Tim Noonan

The future is the ultimate distraction and no two groups are more in need of a distraction right now than Fifa and Chinese football.
Gianni Infantino is the president of Fifa and has been in the job now for about six months. He does not want to talk about the past. In some cases, he is not allowed to talk because of criminal investigations into his odiously corrupt organisation.
It’s all about the future for Infantino and understandably so. There is, however, one massive problem with Fifa’s future: the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Qatar 2022 is simply an inescapable legacy of corruption for Fifa, a millstone of malfeasance. No matter how they try to spin their mantra of change, Fifa cannot get around its past.

Despite ongoing corruption investigations concerning the awarding of the tournament, right now at least it appears Qatar 2022 will still go ahead and rest assured the chorus of global indignation will go ahead as well.
Since Infantino does not wish to talk about 2022, the future has now become the 2026 event and his announcement that Fifa is looking at increasing the field of participating countries from 32 to 48.
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But what about the much-needed internal reforms of your discredited organisation? Not today, sorry.
We are getting bigger, not smaller. Right, because as far as distractions go they don’t get much bigger than 16 more countries joining the party because if 32 is good, then 48 has to be better.

Of course, there is also the matter of greatly increasing revenue, even at the risk of decreasing the quality of the competition.
However, Infantino has assured us that many of the lesser lights of world football merely lack the opportunity to show their stuff on the biggest stage, never mind the fact that this is what the qualifying system is supposed to do.
All joking aside, Patrick Reed and Danny Willett could make for dream pairing at Hong Kong Open
And just for good measure, Infantino also promised that bidding for the 2026 World Cup would be “absolutely transparent and bulletproof”. Now move along then, nothing so see here.
Nowhere was the expansion revelation more happily received than in Asia.

Despite the fact that the four teams who competed in the 2014 World Cup from the Asian Football Confederation – South Korea, Japan, Australia and Iran – all finished last in their group with a combined record of zero wins, nine losses and three draws, there is still an outcry for more Asian teams in the World Cup.
Expanding the field could also mean China might even make it into the 2026 event – meritocracy be damned.
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The same week that Infantino floated his grand distraction, China lost a 2018 World Cup qualifying match to 1-0 Syria.
Losing at home to war-torn and devastated Syria should be the ultimate indignation, and yet Chinese authorities seem to be asking for more time.

“The development of the Chinese game must be a long process,” said Chinese Football Association president Cai Zhenhua. “It’s not three years or five years, it’s not eight or 10 years.”
No, it’s actually 35 years, according to president Xi Jinping, the football mad ruler who outlined his goal to have China a world power by 2050.
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Future distractions mean a lack of accountability today for most people in power because they simply will not be around in 35 years.
In the short term, meaning 10 years’ time, it seems that China would very much like to host that expanded 2026 World Cup.

Don’t judge us on our recent results, they are saying, judge us on our potential and a large part is the growing size of our economy.
Two of the three biggest economies in the world are in Asia, so it stands to reason that if you are on the lookout for money, and Fifa always is, then there is little choice but to give Asia the 2026 World Cup – although since 2022 is in Asia, by Fifa’s (current) rules the earliest the tournament could return is in theory 2030.
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Since South Korea and Japan have already hosted the event, it’s China’s turn. But just as there is absolutely nothing in Asian football that says they deserve to have more teams competing in the World Cup, other than money there is little in China’s performance portfolio that warrants hosting this event as well.
There is even less in Fifa’s past to warrant faith in their promises. Ideally, you don’t ask for respect or time, you earn it. But in lieu of that, heady distractions once again seem to be the order of the day.



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Fifa

Partners in distraction, Fifa needs China as much as the mainland needs it

Will Fifa president Gianni Infantino hand over the 2026 World Cup to China? Photo: AFP

(161006) -- XI'AN, Oct. 6, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Syria's players celebrate after winning in a match between China and Syria of 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Qualifiers in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Oct. 6, 2016. Syria won 1-0. (Xinhua/Ding Xu)

FIFA President Gianni Infantino attends a press conference after the FIFA Council meeting at the Home of FIFA in Zurich, Switzerland, Friday, Oct. 14, 2016. (Ennio Leanza/Keystone via AP)

Several thousand supporters of the South Korean national soccer team celebrate at the Seoul City Plaza 22 June 2002 after their team defeated Spain in the penalties shootout in the quarter-finals match of the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Red pride exploded after South Korea pulled off another shock win Saturday sending millions of fans into delirious celebrations across the country. Hundreds of thousands of people crushed into every spare corner of central Seoul and other major cities as the country put on an unprecedented World Cup-inspired show of patriotism. Fans danced and hugged in disbelief after captain Hong Myong-Bo scored the penalty that secured South Korea's quarter-final win over Spain. AFP PHOTO - CHOI JAE-KU

(FILES) This 07 October 2001 photo shows Chinese players celebrating on the pitch at the Wulihe Stadium in Shenyang, northeast China, after a historic 1-0 victory over Oman to qualify for the 2002 World Cup. China's national players are leading a chorus of condemnation 15 February 2007 over the destruction of the stadium where the team qualified for the 2002 World Cup, still its first and only time, after it was flattened to make way for a shopping mall. Aware of the sensitivities, the government in Liaoning province imposed a blanket ban in the media of the stadium's destruction, but local emotions still ran high. AFP PHOTO / Frederic J. BROWN

epa04236433 (FILE) File picture dated 02 December 2010 of FIFA President Joseph Blatter announcing that Qatar will be hosting the 2022 Soccer World Cup during the FIFA 2018 and 2022 World Cup Bid Announcement in Zurich, Switzerland. The British daily Sunday Times 01 June 2014 claims it has secret documents that prove that the former Qatari football leader Mohamed bin Hammam paid 5 million dollars (3.7 million euros) to officials to secure support for Qatar's World Cup bid. The report said the Qatari official began lining up votes and making direct payments to functionaries a year before the World Cup vote by the FIFA executive body. The emirate has denied all allegations and maintains that Bin Hammam played no part in the bidding campaign. The Sunday Times says it also has proof that Bin Hammam paid 305,000 euros to former executive member Reynald Temarii from Tahiti for attorney's fees. A FIFA commission headed by former U.S. attorney Michael Garcia is currently investigating the accu

Football Soccer - China v Syria - 2018 World Cup Qualifying Asia Zone - Round 3 Group A - Xi'an, China - 6/10/16 Wu Lei of China in action. REUTERS/Stringer ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. EDITORIAL USE ONLY. CHINA OUT.

Fifa chief Gianni Infantino proposes extending World Cup format to include 48 teams

Fifa president Gianni Infantino is proposing sweeping changes to the present format of the World Cup. Photo: AFP

FIFA's President Gianni Infantino kicks a football during an event at the Sergio Arboleda University in Bogota, on October 3, 2016. Infantino arrived in Colombia to attend the final of the final of the Colombia 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup on October 1. / AFP PHOTO / Jose Miguel GOMEZ

epa05568835 President of FIFA Gianni Infantino (R) of Fifa Legends in action against Carlos "El Pibe" Valderrama (L) of FCF Legends during a soccer match between FIFA Legends and FCF Legends to inaugurate the new headquarters of the Colombian Football Federation (FCF) in Bogota, Colombia, 03 October 2016. EPA/Leonardo Munoz

Fifa boss Gianni Infantino underlines commitment to expand World Cup

Gianni Infantino insists more teams at the tournament would not mean a drop in quality. Photo: AFP

FIFA president Gianni Infantino gestures during a press briefing on October 13, 2016 at the world football's governing body headquarters in Zurich. / AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINI

RNPS - REUTERS NEWS PICTURE SERVICE - PICTURES OF THE YEAR 2014 England's Wayne Rooney (L) fights for the ball with Costa Rica's Junior Diaz during their 2014 World Cup Group D soccer match at the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte, in this June 24, 2014 file photo. REUTERS/Damir Sagolj/Files (BRAZIL - Tags: SPORT SOCCER WORLD CUP TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

Fifa president Gianni Infantino throws further weight behind ‘more open’ 48-team World Cup

Fifa president Gianni Infantino during a visit to Colombia. Photo: AFP

TOPSHOT - FIFA's President Gianni Infantino kicks a football during an event at the Sergio Arboleda University in Bogota, on October 3, 2016. Infantino arrived in Colombia to attend the final of the final of the Colombia 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup on October 1. / AFP PHOTO / Jose Miguel GOMEZ

(160702) -- LILLE, July 2, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Players of Wales celebrate victory after the Euro 2016 quarterfinal match between Belgium and Wales in Lille, France, July 1, 2016. Wales won 3-1. (Xinhua/Tao Xiyi)

TOPSHOTS -- AFP PICTURES OF THE YEAR 2014 -- Germany's forward Andre Schuerrle (C) holds the trophy as he celebrates with teammates after his team's victory in the final football match between Germany and Argentina for the FIFA World Cup at The Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on July 13, 2014. AFP PHOTO / ADRIAN DENNIS

FIFA's President Gianni Infantino gestures during the Colombia 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup match final between Argentina and Russia at the Coliseo El Pueblo stadium, in Cali, Colombia on October 1, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / LUIS ROBAYO

Sport

Football

With president Gianni Infantino proposing an increase in World Cup teams from 32 to 48, underperforming countries may reap rewards they can’t currently earn


Fifa corruption scandal

2018 Fifa World Cup Asian qualifying

Expresses the views, ideas and conclusions of the author. (Eg. Enough of Crazy Rich Asians, think of crazy poor Hongkongers.)


Column

Opinion | Partners in distraction, Fifa needs China as much as the mainland needs it

With president Gianni Infantino proposing an increase in World Cup teams from 32 to 48, underperforming countries may reap rewards they can’t currently earn