GOYANG -- South Korea's football chief said Sunday he believes the country can co-host the FIFA World Cup with three neighboring nations in 2030.
Chung Mong-gyu, president of the Korea Football Association (KFA), said South Korea plans to launch a joint World Cup bid with North Korea, China and Japan, although details have not been discussed yet.
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Chung Mong-gyu, head of the Korea Football Association, speaks to reporters ahead of the South Korean under-20 national football team's friendly match against Senegal in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on May 14, 2017. (Yonhap) |
"If South Korea, North Korea, China and Japan have a discussion, I think we have a good possibility of co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup," Chung told reporters at Goyang Stadium ahead of the South Korean under-20 national football team's friendly with Senegal.
Chung last week won a seat on the FIFA Council at the Asian Football Confederation Congress in Manama, Bahrain, becoming the first South Korean since 2001 to take a position in FIFA's main decision-making body. He said FIFA President Gianni Infantino also has positive thoughts on neighboring countries co-hosting football's showpiece event.
Chung added North Korea will join the plan once South Korea, China and Japan agree to co-host the World Cup.
"If South Korea, China, and Japan decide to stage the World Cup, it can be really appealing to others in terms of financial conditions," he said. "We have a very attractive football market."
Chung, who has been at the helm of the KFA since 2013, said if not the World Cup, he wants South Korea to host the AFC Asian Cup or the FIFA Confederations Cup during his tenure. His position as the KFA President ends in 2020.
Chung, who is also head of the local organizing committee for the FIFA U-20 World Cup, said he believes South Korea will deliver an impressive performance at the upcoming FIFA tournament. South Korea are in Group A along with Argentina, England and Guinea at the 24-team competition that will be staged in six local cities from next Saturday to June 11.
"We played well against Uruguay in a friendly, so I think South Korea will see good results at the World Cup," he said. "If South Korea's new president (Moon Jae-in) can make a visit to this tournament, it will be a big help for us." (Yonhap)
