Saudi Arabia to Host 2034 FIFA World Cup

 Saudi Arabia to Host 2034 FIFA World Cup

Saudi Arabia to Host 2034 FIFA World Cup(Image-Getty)

According to the latest announcement from FIFA, Saudi Arabia has emerged as the sole contender in the bidding process for hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup. The global football governing body revealed that Saudi Arabia was the lone football association to submit a bid before the designated deadline, as per the bidding invitation extended to Asia and Oceania, which closed on October 31.

The timeline of events indicates that Saudi Arabia swiftly declared its bid to host the tournament shortly after the bidding invitation was made public on October 4. Meanwhile, Australia made it clear on Tuesday that it would not be pursuing a bid, leaving Saudi Arabia as the solitary candidate in the race to secure the hosting rights.

Emphasizing their protocol, FIFA stated, "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, the President of the Saudi Football Association, expressed the organization's unwavering commitment to meet all FIFA requirements necessary for hosting the prestigious event. Al Misehal shared his sentiments on the social media platform X, affirming the collective efforts of the Saudi football community in realizing the long-cherished ambition of bringing the World Cup to the Kingdom for the first time. He emphasized the transformative power of football in inspiring future generations and expressed hopes that the 2034 World Cup would contribute significantly to the global development of the sport.

FIFA also confirmed that the exclusive interest in hosting the 2030 World Cup was expressed through a joint bid by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, while Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay indicated their intention to host celebratory games. In a previous announcement made on October 4, FIFA had unveiled the joint bid of Morocco, Spain, and Portugal as the prospective hosts for the 2030 World Cup, contingent on the successful completion of the bidding process.