Will China host the World Cup?

Millions of soccer fans in China are now getting up in the middle of night or staying awake to watch the Football World Cup being played in distant Brazil. Inspired by the talent of the best soccer players and the overwhelming international attention that the World Cup gets, many Chinese soccer fans may be wondering how long they will have to wait to see the tournament being played on home turf. It could happen sooner than some think.

Within days of the conclusion of the World Cup on July 13 (July 14 in China), Michael J. Garcia, FIFA's chief investigator, is expected to submit the results of his yearlong investigation into possible corruption in the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar. If Garcia's report finds that Mohamed Bin Hammam, a former FIFA executive committee member from Qatar, paid bribes to gain votes for his country, a new host may have to be found quickly.

Major FIFA sponsors, such as Sony, Visa and Adidas, have urged FIFA to take the bribery allegations seriously. And sponsors really count because they contribute nearly 10 billion yuan ($1.61 billion) over the four-year World Cup cycle. Already, FIFA President Joseph Blatter has said that awarding the World Cup to Qatar was a mistake, and FIFA Vice-President Jim Boyce has promised to support a new vote if corruption is proven in the Qatar affair.