12 December 2024
The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) has officially confirmed, on Wednesday, that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup, while Morocco, Spain and Portugal obtained joint hosting rights for the 2030 tournament.
The decision was announced after a vote during the extraordinary FIFA Congress held virtually, but it was merely a formality as neither bid had any competitors. Regarding the 2034 finals, FIFA announced its intention to rotate the main event between the continents.
After other countries such as Australia and Indonesia withdrew their interest in hosting the 2034 event, Saudi Arabia emerged as the sole candidate and automatic winner, bringing the World Cup back to the Gulf region after Qatar successfully hosted the 2022 edition.
Last month, Saudi Arabia unveiled plans for the 92,000-seater King Salman Stadium in Riyadh, which will host the opening and final matches of the 2034 World Cup.
The Saudi Ministry of Sports unveiled its designs for the stadium, which is due to be completed in 2029. Meanwhile, Morocco, which has tried and failed on five previous occasions to secure the right to host the tournament, became the second African country to host the competition after South Africa in 2010.
FIFA gave the Saudi bid the highest rating ever in the history of bids submitted by countries to host the World Cup since its inception in 1930, receiving 4.18 out of 5, describing the risks as moderate.
The support of more than 125 national associations affiliated with the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), out of 211 associations, for the Kingdom’s file to host the 2034 World Cup was not just a formal endorsement, but rather an expression of appreciation for the Kingdom’s tremendous organizational capabilities, which enabled it to host one of the largest and most important sporting events in the world.
