FIFA names Saudi Arabia as 2034 World Cup host

The world footballing body, FIFA, has officially named Saudi Arabia as the host nation of the FIFA World Cup 2034.

The Extraordinary FIFA Congress meeting, held on Wednesday, also confirmed Morocco, Spain and Portugal as co-hosts of the 2030 World Cup.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino revealed the decision. Each of the 2030 and 2034 World Cups received just one bid, which were unanimously approved.

“We are bringing football to more countries and the number of teams has not diluted the quality. It actually enhanced the opportunity,” Infantino said about the 2030 World Cup.

The combined proposal from Morocco, Spain and Portugal will see the 2030 event take place across three continents and six nations, with Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay hosting celebratory games to mark the tournament’s centenary.

Uruguay held the first World Cup in 1930, while Argentina and Spain have also staged the tournament. Portugal, Paraguay and Morocco will all be first-time hosts.

Saudi Arabia will become the second Middle Eastern nation to host the tournament after Qatar staged it in 2022.

The 2034 edition will stage the first-ever 48-team tournament in a single host country.

Matches will be held across 15 stadiums in five host cities in Saudi Arabia: Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Abha, and Neom.

Riyadh’s King Salman Stadium, with a 92,000-spectator capacity, is expected to be the venue for the opening and final matches once constructed.

The Saudi Arabia bid to host the FIFA event gained unanimous approval at the meeting of FIFA’s 211 member nations, as it faced no competing bids.

“It is a proud day, a day of celebration, a day that we invite the entire world to Saudi Arabia,” said Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal al Saud, the Saudi Minister of Sports.

“We intend to have an extraordinary version of the World Cup in our kingdom.”