Saudi Arabia emerged as the solitary candidate to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup as the application deadline closed, according to FIFA, the global soccer governing body.
FIFA had invited bids exclusively from Asia and Oceania for the tournament, and Saudi Arabia’s bid was announced just minutes after the invitation was extended on October 4.
On Tuesday, Australia revealed that it would not be competing to host the tournament, leaving Saudi Arabia as the sole contender.
FIFA clarified, “As stipulated in the Bidding Regulations approved by the FIFA Council, the FIFA administration will conduct comprehensive bidding and evaluation procedures for the 2030 and 2034 editions of the FIFA World Cup. The hosts will be appointed by FIFA Congresses expected to take place by Q4 2024.”
Furthermore, FIFA confirmed that the only expressions of interest for hosting the 2030 World Cup came from a consortium comprising Morocco, Portugal, and Spain. Additionally, Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay are set to host commemorative matches.
Although Saudi Arabia’s role as the host for the 2034 World Cup has yet to receive official approval, this is anticipated to be a mere formality and will likely be determined in late 2024.
It is worth noting that Saudi Arabia’s significant investment in sports, which was sanctioned by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has been criticized as a form of sportswashing. This is seen as an effort to enhance the country’s global image, particularly in light of concerns regarding women’s rights and the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has developed strong ties to Saudi soccer and the Saudi crown prince personally, and he has long been associated with the aim of bringing FIFA tournaments to the kingdom.
When FIFA recently announced that only one host bid would be accepted for the 2030 World Cup, uniting Spain, Portugal, and Morocco with select matches in South America, it also expedited the process for selecting the host for the 2034 World Cup. Only member federations in Asia and Oceania were eligible to bid, and they faced a tight timeline, with less than four weeks to enter the race by the deadline and only an additional month to sign a bidding agreement requiring government support.
