China’s reopened borders raise hopes for soccer resurgence


              A commuter wearing a face mask walks along a street in the central business district in Beijing, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
            
              Commuters wearing face masks walk out of a subway station in the central business district in Beijing, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
            
              FILE - Chinese soccer fans shout after their national team lost from Saudi Arabia during their match of the Asian zone group B qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 at the King Abdullah sports city stadium, in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, on Oct. 12, 2021. After three years of isolation and financial struggles in Chinese soccer the country is reopening its borders and economy to the outside world. With it, frustrated fans, financially-challenged clubs and unpaid players in the Chinese Super League might receive some long-awaited good news.(AP Photo/Amr Nabil, File)
            
              FILE - Huang Kaizho of Guangzhou Evergrande, left, fights for the ball against Leandro Velazquez of Johor Darul Ta'zim during their AFC Champions League group I soccer match at Sultan Ibrahim Stadium in Johor, Malaysia, on April 15, 2022. After three years of isolation and financial struggles in Chinese soccer the country is reopening its borders and economy to the outside world. With it, frustrated fans, financially-challenged clubs and unpaid players in the Chinese Super League might receive some long-awaited good news. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)