Saudi Arabia to host the 2034 World Cup

With Australia's last-minute withdrawal, Saudi Arabia is the only remaining candidate in the race to host the 2034 World Cup.

The deadline for countries to register to bid for the 2034 World Cup is 11 PM on October 31st, Hanoi time. Just before FIFA's deadline, Australia announced its withdrawal.

"We considered the opportunity to bid for hosting the 2034 World Cup. However, after considering all factors, we decided to withdraw," the Football Association of Australia announced. "Instead, Australia is in a stronger position to host the oldest international tournament for women, the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup. Following that, we will welcome the world's best clubs to the FIFA Club World Cup in 2029."

Saudi Arabian fans at the 2022 World Cup, where their team defeated Argentina in the group stage. Photo: AP

The Football Association of Australia also believes that the two aforementioned events, along with the 2023 Women's World Cup and the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, will create a golden decade for Australian sport . According to the New York Times , Australia withdrew from the race to host the 2034 World Cup because they knew they would be overwhelmed by Saudi Arabia in terms of votes. Saudi Arabia signed agreements over the past year with many FIFA member nations, committing millions of dollars to projects across Asia and showing interest in African football by sponsoring a new tournament on the continent.

With Australia's withdrawal, Saudi Arabia is the only remaining country in the race to host the 2034 World Cup. Since the application deadline has passed, Saudi Arabia is certain to host the planet's biggest football event in 11 years' time.

The 2026 World Cup will take place in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Four years later, the World Cup hosts will be Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, with centenary matches taking place in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay.

According to the rules governing the rotation of World Cup hosting among continents, FIFA is calling on countries in Asia and Oceania to submit bids for the 2034 World Cup. Besides Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore also formed a bidding alliance but soon withdrew. These countries and many other Asian nations have supported Saudi Arabia hosting the prestigious event 11 years from now.

Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in football in recent years. Their national league has been elevated by recruiting superstars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Sadio Mane. Saudi Arabia won the right to host the 2027 Asian Cup and previously wanted to host the 2030 World Cup alongside Egypt and Greece, but this did not materialize.

Even FIFA has shown support for Saudi Arabia's bid to independently host the 2034 World Cup. Instead of requiring a minimum of seven stadiums that meet the standards, the world football governing body has reduced this number to at least four for the tournament, which will feature 48 teams in 2034. The host nation for the 2034 World Cup will be announced by FIFA in the fourth quarter of this year.

Vy Anh

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