Approximately four months after FIFA, the global football governing body, identified Saudi Arabia as the sole contender, the kingdom officially launched its bid to host the 2034 World Cup last Friday.
This move comes two years after neighboring Qatar successfully hosted the first-ever Middle East World Cup. The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), spearheading the campaign under the slogan “Growing. Together,” revealed its bid website, logo, and an accompanying film showcasing the passion, spirit, and diversity of football in Saudi Arabia.
Hammad Albalawi, leader of the SAFF bid unit, emphasized that “the hopes and dreams of 32 million people in Saudi Arabia are powering this campaign,” expressing the duty to present the best bid to FIFA and represent the nation with pride.
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Under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 reform initiative, Saudi Arabia has heavily invested in sports to position itself as a hub for commerce, tourism, and sports. A recent strategic partnership between the ATP and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is part of these efforts.
PIF, since 2021, has made substantial investments in various sports ventures, including the establishment of the LIV golf circuit and the acquisition of English Premier League team Newcastle United. This has led to accusations of “sportswashing” aimed at deflecting criticism of the kingdom’s human rights record.
Notably, a tri-continental candidacy by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with three matches in South America, emerged after Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Greece withdrew their initial interest in bidding for the 2030 World Cup. Saudi Arabia declared its intent to bid for the 2034 tournament on October 4, and FIFA officially invited members of the Asian and Oceanian confederations to apply.
Australia, initially a contender, withdrew its bid on Monday following the Asian Football Confederation’s endorsement of Saudi Arabia’s proposal.