Saudi Arabia is poised to host the 2034 World Cup, as FIFA confirmed the kingdom’s exclusive “expression of interest” in hosting the prestigious tournament. The decision is set to be formally approved at the close of the next year, pending the fulfillment of technical criteria.
Saudi Arabia’s proposal comes on the heels of Qatar’s historic hosting of the first-ever World Cup in the Middle East, where the Saudi national team marked a stunning group stage victory over eventual champions, Argentina. However, as of now, only “expressions of interest” have been submitted for the 2034 tournament.
Following the submission of full proposals for the 2030 and 2034 World Cups, FIFA will evaluate them and present them for a vote during two separate congress meetings at the end of 2024. The absence of competition raises questions about the environmental impact of the 2030 event and the compatibility of the 2034 tournament with FIFA’s human rights commitments.
Initially, Saudi Arabia had expressed interest in bidding for the 2030 World Cup alongside Egypt and Greece. However, this idea was abandoned, allowing the tri-continental bid by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco to take shape. Saudi Arabia announced its intention to bid for the 2034 event as soon as the procedure was launched.
FIFA’s decision to “invite” member countries of the Asian and Oceanian confederations to apply, due to continental rotation, effectively ruled out traditional footballing heartlands. Indonesia briefly considered a joint bid with Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, and Singapore but ultimately decided to support Saudi Arabia’s bid. Australia, which successfully hosted the Women’s World Cup this year, initially showed interest but withdrew its bid following the Asian Football Confederation’s endorsement of the Saudi bid.
Securing the rights to host the World Cup aligns with Saudi Arabia’s ambition to establish itself as a prominent player in the sports world and divert attention from its human rights concerns, a move criticized by many. The country is also gearing up to host the upcoming Club World Cup and the 2027 Asian Cup, in addition to its involvement in various sports such as golf, boxing, and horse racing. Saudi football clubs have been signing renowned footballers like Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.
Hosting the World Cup presents a massive undertaking, with the tournament expanding to 48 teams from 2026. This will require at least 14 stadiums with capacities ranging from 40,000 to 80,000 seats and a minimum of 72 base camps.
While Saudi Arabia’s financial capabilities are not in question, concerns have been raised about its ability to align with FIFA’s commitment to “respect internationally recognized human rights” during the competition. Environmental sustainability is also a criterion included in the award procedure, but with no alternative bids, its relevance is uncertain.
Amnesty International’s Steve Cockburn expressed doubts about FIFA’s handling of the situation, stating that “FIFA may have scored an own goal” by having only one bid for each tournament. Amnesty International calls on FIFA to clarify how it expects hosts to adhere to its human rights policies and be ready to suspend the bidding process if substantial human rights risks remain unaddressed.
In a separate statement, Human Rights Watch urged FIFA to “postpone” the awarding of the 2034 World Cup, citing a failure to conduct an “ethical, transparent, objective,壯陽藥 and impartial” process.
