Saudi Arabia emerged as the sole contender to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup after FIFA, the global governing body of soccer, confirmed the submission of their bid ahead of the deadline.
FIFA had invited bids from the Asia and Oceania regions for the tournament, and Saudi Arabia swiftly announced its intention to bid shortly after the announcement on October 4. On the other hand, Australia declared on Tuesday that it would not pursue a bid, leaving Saudi Arabia as the only candidate.
In accordance with the Bidding Regulations approved by the FIFA Council, FIFA will conduct a comprehensive bidding and evaluation process for the 2030 and 2034 editions of the FIFA World Cup. The host countries are expected to be decided by FIFA Congresses, scheduled to take place by the fourth quarter of 2024.
It’s worth noting that the only expression of interest to host the 2030 World Cup came from Morocco, with Spain, Portugal, Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay planning to host celebratory games.
Saudi Arabia’s sports investment program, endorsed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has been characterized as an attempt to improve the country’s image, which has been tarnished by issues related to women’s rights and the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has developed strong connections with Saudi soccer and the crown prince, and there has been a noticeable effort to steer FIFA competitions toward the kingdom.
FIFA’s decision to allow a single host bid for the 2030 World Cup, uniting Spain, Portugal, and Morocco with South America hosting three games, also expedited the 2034 hosting competition. This left only member federations in Asia and Oceania eligible to bid, with a tight deadline of less than four weeks to enter the race by Tuesday and just one additional month to sign a bidding agreement that requires government support.
Australian soccer federation leader James Johnson acknowledged the challenging timetable, stating, “We’re adults, and we just try to adapt to the cards we’ve been dealt.”
Within hours of FIFA’s announcement on October 4, the Saudi soccer federation confirmed their bid, with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), which includes Australia, supporting the kingdom in bringing the World Cup back to the Middle East after Qatar hosted the 2022 edition. Qatar’s World Cup was held in November and December to avoid the extreme heat of summer.
Indonesia initially expressed interest in a joint bid with Australia, possibly involving Malaysia and Singapore, but later supported Saudi Arabia instead.
Australia now aims to secure the hosting rights for the 2029 Club World Cup and the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup, with Saudi Arabia also bidding for the women’s Asian championship.
Johnson acknowledged the challenges of competing with a government-backed Saudi bid and suggested that not bidding for the 2034 World Cup could create goodwill.
Australia and New Zealand successfully co-hosted the Women’s World Cup in July and August, and Brisbane, Queensland, is set to host the 2032 Summer Games.
Saudi Arabia is also preparing to host the men’s Asian Cup in 2027 and has launched an extensive construction program to build and renovate stadiums likely to be used for the World Cup. FIFA’s bidding documents specify a need for 14 stadiums for the 48-team tournament.
However, concerns about human rights issues and labor conditions surrounding stadium construction and other infrastructure in Saudi Arabia have been raised. The 2022 World Cup in Qatar was plagued by allegations of rights abuses related to migrant workers building the stadiums.
Football Supporters Europe executive director Ronan Evain cited FIFA’s failure to insist on human rights protections in awarding the 2022 World Cup to Qatar as a reason for delayed and weak reforms. Human Rights Watch director of global initiatives Minky Worden expressed similar concerns about human rights and labor conditions in Saudi Arabia.
The potential for FIFA to award Saudi Arabia the 2034 World Cup despite these concerns has raised questions about FIFA’s commitment to human rights.
