BEIJING, April 5 -- The U.S. National Football League has cancelled plans for a pre-season game this year in Beijing in an apparent setback for its strategy to seek a new fan base in the world's most populous country.

    A statement seen Tuesday on the American football body's website said the league had decided to push back its China debut -- originally set for Aug. 9 this year -- to August 2009.

    The exhibition game this year would have featured the New England Patriots against the Seattle Seahawks. The league said it wanted to hone its overseas experience before staging the Beijing game.

    "Chinese fans would be better served if our game in China is played at a later date after we have launched our international series of regular-season games," NFL official Mark Waller was quoted as saying.

    "As a new sport in China, it is critical that we create the best platform for the introduction of the game. We are delighted Beijing authorities have agreed with our assessment and have invited us to play in Beijing in 2009."

    The league is staging its first regular-season overseas game in London on Oct. 28 between the Miami Dolphins and New York Giants.

    U.S. magazine "Sports Illustrated" first reported plans to postpone the game over the weekend, saying the league decided to wait until 2009, rather than next year, to avoid clashing with the Beijing Olympics.

    Hugely popular in the United States, the NFL has been less successful than other American sports leagues such as the National Basketball Association at developing an international base.

    But the NFL has plans to try to win over Chinese fans and is establishing an office in Beijing, the statement said.

    (Source: chinadaily.com.cn/Agencies)