Saudi Arabia To Host FIFA World Cup 2034

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has secured the hosting rights for the 2034 FIFA World Cup after Australia withdrew from the bidding process on the deadline day, which was Tuesday.

Following the successful 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Saudi Arabia will become the second Arab nation to host this prestigious football tournament. Saudi Arabia’s decision to bid for the event came shortly after FIFA called for bids from Asia and Oceania on October 4, and their bid garnered strong support from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).

The president of the AFC, in a statement, expressed unity and support from the entire Asian football community for Saudi Arabia’s bid, demonstrating a show of solidarity within the region.

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Notably, Indonesia had initially contemplated a joint bid with Australia, along with the participation of Malaysia and Singapore. However, one week after FIFA’s invitation, Indonesia decided to align itself with Saudi Arabia.

Football Australia (FA) had initially expressed interest in hosting the 2034 World Cup, with FA boss James Johnson stating that the country was “exploring the possibility.” However, on the final day for bid submissions, Australia announced that it would not pursue its bid.

Australia, which successfully hosted the Women’s World Cup this year, has never hosted a men’s World Cup.

In explaining their decision, FA stated,

“We believe we are well-positioned to host the oldest women’s international competition in the world—the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026—and then welcome the world’s greatest football teams for the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup. Achieving this would represent a truly remarkable decade for Australian football.”