Australia set for Argentina football friendly in China, in bid to ‘improve relations’ with Beijing
- World champions could face Australia in an international football friendly at Bird’s Nest stadium next month
- Incentive for Argentina financial, with Australia reportedly keen to shore up diplomatic interests with China after years of troubled ties
World champions Argentina could face Australia in an international football friendly at China’s Bird’s Nest stadium in Beijing next month.
The game has not been officially confirmed, but reports in Australia this week said negotiations were under way to make the friendly happen.
The incentive for Argentina to play in China was financial, the reports said, while for Australia it was about shoring up business and diplomatic interests with its largest trading partner after years of troubled ties.
Football Australia chief James Johnson told The Australian newspaper that if a contract was confirmed he expected Australian government officials and business executives would be keen to attend the match.
“If there’s an opportunity through football, which like government operates both locally and internationally, to improve relations with China and to open up opportunities to communicate then naturally that’s something that is of interest to us,” he said.
Australia coach Graham Arnold has said he has “goosebumps” about potentially facing Argentina in a rematch of their Qatar World Cup round-of-16 clash.
