FIFA president Joseph Blatter said bidding for the World Cup 2018 is open to China and all other Asian countries. "The bid for World Cup 2018 is not open yet. But under the rotation system, China have the chance to bid for the hosting rights of the World Cup. The World Cup 2002 was co-hosted by South Korea and Japan, and for 2006 it was held in Germany. South Africa will host the 2010 World Cup. And 2014 will be a South American country to hold the World Cup. China are able to organise any big events. Do remember that in 1995 we held the first women's World Cup in China and that was a big success," he said as quoted by Xinhua.
UPDATE
Officials of China's capital city may be preparing a bid for the earlier FIFA 2014 World Cup -- as part of the city's 11th Five-year Plan (2006-11). "Beijing's sports market won't go cold after the 2008 Olympics as we have expressed our willingness to the Chinese Football Association," Sun Kanglin, director of Beijing Sports Bureau said in a statement quoted by Zhao Rui of China Daily. "We want this top event to come to Beijing."
UPDATE
Officials of China's capital city may be preparing a bid for the earlier FIFA 2014 World Cup -- as part of the city's 11th Five-year Plan (2006-11). "Beijing's sports market won't go cold after the 2008 Olympics as we have expressed our willingness to the Chinese Football Association," Sun Kanglin, director of Beijing Sports Bureau said in a statement quoted by Zhao Rui of China Daily. "We want this top event to come to Beijing."