FIFA president Sepp Blatter has revealed China are keen to stage the World Cup.
Fresh from hosting the 2008 Olympic Games, China, according to Blatter, are now keen to take on international football's premier tournament.
"Back in April, at the draw for the Olympic football tournament, the Chinese already expressed an accordant wish," the president was quoted as saying by German football magazine Kicker.
Blatter claimed though China had some way to go before they would be in a position to host the tournament, saying first they needed to "put football in order".
"That needs time," he added. "China are used to working to a plan.
"In football they don't work to a plan. Now one has to start from the bottom, from the under-17s to the under-23s."
China would also not get to host the competition before 2022 at the earliest.
"The Chinese would like the World Cup, but that will not happen before 2022," Blatter added.