China gets its richest man to back 'best football competition in Asia' (Reuters)

By Sue-Lin Wong BEIJING (Reuters) - China, backed by its richest man, has struck a deal with FIFA to host the first China Cup from next year, a competition that will pit its national side against three international "first-class" teams - and hopefully pave the way to soccer glory. Chinese property tycoon Wang Jianlin, whose Dalian Wanda conglomerate is already a high-level FIFA sponsor, said on Wednesday that his group and the Chinese Football Association would host the contest in the southern city of Nanning: four games played over a week every January. European clubs often have a break around that time, potentially allowing national sides to pit their best - as China hopes.