China cuts state control of football in bid to raise game

Pohang Steelers' Kim Dae-Ho (L) and Guangzhou Evergrande's Zheng Long chase the ball during their AFC Champions League Group H match in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China, February 24, 2016. REUTERS/Stringer

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's has reduced government control of its national football body, state media reported on Wednesday, under a plan to overhaul the sport and boost the performance of its struggling teams.

The Chinese Football Association (CFA) was now an independent organisation with full power to hire staff, set pay rates, organise foreign tours and select coaches, the official Xinhua news agency said.