Although China will not be on the pitch in Russia this summer (having made its only World Cup appearance in 2002), football is widely followed in the world's most populous country, where its national team is a great source of pride for the Chinese people.
Having already hosted the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and on tap to host the 2022 Olympic Winter Games (also in Beijing), China is poised to bid to host the World Cup, perhaps as soon as 2030.
For now, China's presence in Russia will be seen in the sponsorship marketing arena at the World Cup. The Wanda Group, China's largest commercial property company, is now a FIFA Global Partner, joining Coca-Cola, Visa, Gazprom, Adidas, Qatar Airways, and Hyundai; while Hisense (electronics), Mengniu (dairy products), and Vivo (telecommunications) are now FIFA World Cup Sponsors alongside McDonald's and Budweiser.
These Chinese companies seized the opportunity to play on the world stage following a wave of sponsor defections in the wake of FIFA's bribery and corruption scandals. So football fans, get ready to enjoy Mengniu's Mongolian milk, ice cream, yogurt, and other dairy products at this summer's World Cup. Yum!
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