FIFA names Saudi Arabia as 2034 World Cup host

Zurich: Saudi Arabia has been officially confirmed by FIFA as host of the 2034 World Cup in men’s football.

The Saudi bid was the only candidate and was acclaimed by the applause of more than 200 FIFA member federations. They took part remotely in an online meeting hosted in Zurich on Wednesday by the football body’s president Gianni Infantino.

The decision was combined with approving the only candidate to host the 2030 World Cup. Spain, Portugal and Morocco will co-host in a six-nation project, with Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay each getting one of the 104 games.

The South American connection will mark the centenary of Uruguay hosting the first World Cup in 1930.

Saudi Arabia will be confirmed by FIFA as host of the men’s football 2034 World Cup on Wednesday, giving the oil-rich kingdom its biggest prize yet for massive spending on global sports driven by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The decision completes a mostly opaque 15-month bid process which FIFA president Gianni Infantino helped steer toward Saudi

Arabia without a rival candidate, without taking questions, and which human rights groups warn will put the lives of migrant workers at risk.

FIFA and Saudi officials say hosting the 2034 tournament can accelerate change, including more freedoms and rights for women.

A fast-track path to victory was cleared last year by FIFA accepting a three-continent hosting plan for the 2030 World Cup led by Spain, Portugal and Morocco. That bid also will win Wednesday in a combined approval for the 2030 and 2034 tournament hosts by applause from more than 200 FIFA member federations in an online meeting hosted from Zurich by Infantino.

It will kick off a decade of scrutiny on Saudi labor laws and treatment of workers mostly from

South Asia needed to help build and upgrade 15 stadiums, plus hotels and transport networks ahead of the 104-game tournament.