Asian Federation foresees Saudi bid for 2030 or 2034 World Cup. BEIRUT: Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al-Khalifa, head of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), stated that “Saudi Arabia is coming in force” and that the organization wants to host another World Cup in 2030 or 2034.
The World Cup has twice been held in Asia: in 2002 in South Korea and Japan and 2022 in Qatar.
On Monday, Sheikh Salman, a Bahraini citizen in Syria and Lebanon, told Beirut journalists that Saudi Arabia “is a country capable of organizing a similar tournament.”
But do we have to pick the appropriate year: 2030 or 2034? We are considering 2034 if our chances of hosting the tournament are better and 2030 if our circumstances are better.
When the World Cup expands to 48 teams in 2026, it will be split into three equal portions for the first time, with the United States, Canada, and Mexico serving as the hosts.
The 2030 multi-nation offer from Spain, Portugal, and Morocco and the 2030 multi-nation bid from Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Paraguay would bring the 100th World Cup back to Montevideo, the location of the original final.
Muhammad Fawzi, a spokesman for the Egyptian Ministry of Youth and Sports, stated in September of last year that his nation was considering a combined proposal with Greece and Saudi Arabia.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, the Saudi Arabian Minister of Sports, told AFP in February that his nation had not yet submitted a candidacy dossier but added that “anything is possible.”
Asian federation foresees Saudi Bid for 2030 or 2034 World Cup
Sheikh Salman stated that he wanted to ensure that the AFC would support any proposal with a unified front and outside help.
“We are coordinating with the continental federations and FIFA on the basis that we will host the 2030 or 2034 World Cup in agreement with everyone, so when the file is presented, we must ensure that it succeeds by at least 90 percent,” he stated.
“You need more than 110 votes to host the World Cup; we have 47.” We need assistance from other hemispheres. The ideal time to host this competition is being planned.
Saudi Arabia has been investing extensively in sports as part of the “Vision 2030” goal to diversify an oil-dependent economy, imitating neighbors Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
The Asian Cup will be held in the kingdom for the first time in 2027, the multisport Asian Games will take place in 2034, and the Asian Winter Games will be held in Neom, a massive, futuristic city, on artificial snow in 2029. The kingdom will also host the AFC Women’s Cup in 2026.
It already organizes the annual Spanish Super Cup, a Formula One race in Jeddah, golf tournaments, and boxing championship fights.
Despite claims that it is “sports washing” its human rights record, Cristiano Ronaldo joined the Saudi club Al Nassr in January, and the nation’s sovereign wealth fund also funds the independent LIV golf tour and owns Newcastle United of the English Premier League.
