Xiamen to host FIFA World Cup qualifier between China and Japan in November

BEIJING, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Football Association (CFA) announced on Thursday that Xiamen has been chosen as the venue to host the FIFA World Cup qualifier between China and Japan on November 19.

The CFA settled on Xiamen, a southeastern coastal city in Fujian Province, from seven bidding cities thanks to its mild climate and bigger stadium.

"The national team proposed to choose a southern city with suitable weather as the venue to host the game," the CFA said in the statement.

The weather in the northern cities is usually cold in November, thus it could make it harder not only for the Chinese side to prepare for the match, but also for the fans to watch the game on the spot, the CFA said.

Xiamen boasts a stadium with over 60,000 seats, which turned out to be an important factor for the city to win the bid.

"In order to accommodate as more spectators as possible, and create an exuberant atmosphere for the host team, the CFA preferred to choose a stadium with a bigger capacity when deciding on the venue to host the World Cup qualifier," the Chinese football governing body added.