Sporting authorities are planning further development of the world's most popular game to drive economic growth and prepare the way for eventually hosting the FIFA World Cup. Sun Xiaochen reports.

Stepping onto the soccer pitch at Beijing No 4 High School, where he started playing the game about 50 years ago, Zhang Lu, vice-president of Chinese Super League club Beijing Guo'an, couldn't help recalling fond memories of dribbling a rubber ball on the then-worn-out turf every evening after school.

"This is right where my generation's passion for the game took root and blossomed. I am extremely happy to see how far it has developed," said Zhang, who enrolled at the school in 1967, during a recent visit.