Saudi Arabia revealed intentions to host the 2034 World Cup on Wednesday, the latest move in a campaign to transform the kingdom into a global sports superpower.
The bid “intends to deliver a world-class tournament and will draw inspiration from Saudi Arabia’s ongoing social and economic transformation and the country’s deep-rooted passion for football”, said a statement from the Saudi Arabian football federation.
News of the bid comes one year after neighbouring Qatar hosted the first World Cup in the Middle East, where the Saudi national team stunned the world with a group stage defeat of eventual winners Argentina.
On the heels of that tournament, Saudi Arabia signed Cristiano Ronaldo to play in the Saudi Pro League, the first in a slew of major stars drawn by eye-watering salaries to the world’s biggest crude oil exporter.
Sport is a major component of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 reform agenda, which aims to transform Saudi Arabia into a tourism and business hub while transitioning the economy away from fossil fuels.
In the coming weeks, the kingdom is set to host the final LIV Golf League tournament of the regular season, a boxing match featuring Anthony Joshua and the Next Gen ATP Finals tennis tournament.
It will also host the Fifa Club World Cup in December.
Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia was confirmed as host of football’s 2027 Asian Cup.
And last year, Saudi Arabia won hosting rights for the 2029 Asian Winter Games, a 47-event competition to be held in Trojena, an area of the $500 billion futuristic megacity known as NEOM.
Platinumpost reports that FIFA on Wednesday had announced six countries from three continents as the joint hosts of the 2030 World Cup tournament.
The hosts in the unprecedented arrangement include Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay.
Others include Morocco, Spain, and Portugal.
The six host countries fall within Europe, Africa and Latin America.
According to the football governing body, FIFA, all the host countries will automatically qualify for the tournament.