In the realm of international football, Saudi Arabia has emerged as the sole bidder to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, as confirmed by FIFA, soccer’s global governing body. The organization had invited bids for the prestigious tournament from the Asian and Oceania regions, with a submission deadline set for October 31. Saudi Arabia made its intention clear by announcing its bid just minutes after FIFA’s announcement on October 4.
In a significant development, Australia declared on Tuesday that it would not be vying for the opportunity to host the World Cup, leaving Saudi Arabia as the only candidate in contention.
As per FIFA, “As established in the Bidding Regulations approved by the FIFA Council, the FIFA administration will conduct thorough bidding and evaluation processes for the 2030 and 2034 editions of the FIFA World Cup, with the hosts to be appointed by FIFA Congresses expected to take place by Q4 2024.”
Yasser Al Misehal, President of the Saudi Football Association (SAFF), expressed the federation’s unwavering commitment to meeting all FIFA requirements to secure the rights to host the World Cup. In his statement on the social media platform X, he conveyed, “All members of the Saudi football family are doing their best to achieve the dream of the Saudis, male and female, to see the World Cup in the Kingdom for the first time.”
He further emphasized the profound influence of football in inspiring future generations and expressed hope that the World Cup 2034, if awarded to Saudi Arabia, would significantly contribute to the global development of the sport.
In related developments, FIFA also confirmed that the only expressions of interest received for hosting the 2030 World Cup came from Morocco, as well as the joint bid of Portugal and Spain, with celebratory games potentially taking place in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay.
On October 4, FIFA had previously announced the conditional selection of the combined bid by Morocco, Spain, and Portugal to host the 2030 World Cup, subject to the successful completion of the bidding process.
