BEIJING - China's football boss says his country is still interested in hosting a future World Cup.

Chinese Football Association chief Wei Di was quoted in the country's leading sports newspaper Friday saying that Qatar's winning bid for the 2022 World Cup had not shaken his determination to see China host the event.

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By selecting Qatar, FIFA precluded a 2026 bid from China, since the same continent cannot host consecutive World Cups. That would seem to make 2030 the first year for which China has a realistic chance of winning a bid.

Wei told Titan Sports that a choice of date remained open and acknowledged differences of opinion over the matter within the country's sports authority and society at large.

Having successfully hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics and this year's Asian Games, China brings considerable experience to the business of holding major international sporting events.

The country can also claim a huge number of modern sporting facilities and massive transportation infrastructure, including an expanding network of intercity high speed trains.