'I don’t think we can imagine how amazing it will be': Saudi Arabia to be named 2034 World Cup hosts

Saudi Arabia is set to be confirmed as the host nation for the 2034 World Cup at an extraordinary Fifa congress on Wednesday. The kingdom launched its bid to land the tournament on October 4, 2023. In a video released by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) at the time, its president, Yasser Al Misehal , said: “Hosting a World Cup in Saudi Arabia would mean everything to us. We are a football nation, and this is what dreams are made of for all the generations, young and old, boys and girls. “I believe the whole world saw the great passion of all our fans in the last World Cup 2022. That passion, noise, energy, and colour. I think young kids in Saudi today will be dreaming of this and, in fact, we want to help them achieve this dream in 2034.” Al Misehal promised host cities would be connected by “state-of-the-art facilities to guarantee an amazing fan experience”. The Saudi bid emerged at a time of rapid expansion in the kingdom’s domestic game fuelled by sovereign wealth investment in the Pro League’s top clubs. Cristiano Ronaldo led an influx of global stars and was swiftly joined by the likes of Karim Benzema , Neymar , N’Golo Kante and Riyad Mahrez. “I don’t think we can imagine how amazing it will be!“ Algeria and Al Ahli forward Mahrez said in a social media post released by the Saudi World Cup bid team on Wednesday. By the end of October 2023, Fifa confirmed that Saudi Arabia was the only association to have presented a formal bid for the 2034 tournament. Football Australia had been expected to rival the kingdom but issued a statement saying it had “explored the opportunity” of a bid but had decided against it. “Having taken all factors into consideration, we have reached the conclusion not to do so for the 2034 competition,” the statement read. UAE leaders were quick to share their congratulations , with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed saying: “Wishing the kingdom of Saudi Arabia success and prosperity as it undertakes the hosting of the 2034 Fifa World Cup. “Guided by the visionary leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom relentlessly pursues development and prosperity.” Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, said he expected Saudi Arabia's hosting of the tournament to be even more successful than Qatar, which he said “excelled” in its hosting of the 2022 event. “Saudi Arabia's hosting of the 2034 World Cup is an Arab victory, a new Gulf success and a Saudi triumph that affirms the kingdom's global standing,” he wrote on social media. “Qatar excelled in hosting the World Cup and we expect that Saudi Arabia will host the best edition in the history of the tournament.” In March, the SAFF launched its formal bid , including a logo, website and a short film that celebrated football in Saudi Arabia. The logo “is designed to capture the essence of Saudi Arabia's young nation, vibrant society and rich heritage”, the federation said. In July, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman added his seal of approval as the Saudi bid was submitted to Fifa officials in Paris by a delegation headed by minister of sports, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal. “With this candidacy, we intend to host an exceptional edition that brings together 48 teams for the first time in the history of the tournament in one country,” Prince Abdulaziz said. "The supervision of the Crown Prince of the kingdom's candidacy file embodies keenness to move forward towards building the future of sports in accordance with the goals of Vision 2030." Last month, organisers unveiled plans for the King Salman Stadium , a 92,000-capacity venue in Riyadh set to stage the opening match and the final of the 2034 tournament. The Saudi sports ministry released a promotional video made with computer-generated imagery to offer a first look at the stadium which is scheduled to be completed in 2029. Soon after, Fifa published positive feedback about the Saudi bid in its official report, while also opening the door for it to be staged in winter just as the 2022 tournament in Qatar was. “Taking into consideration local climatic conditions as well as the local calendar of sporting and cultural events taking place in 2034, the exercise of identifying the optimal window for the competition brings with it some complexities,” the report read. Saudi Arabia will first have the chance to demonstrate its hosting capabilities when the 2027 Asian Cup arrives in the kingdom. They will do so with one eye on football’s greatest show, which will follow seven years later.

'I don’t think we can imagine how amazing it will be': Saudi Arabia to be named 2034 World Cup hosts

As the sole bidder, the kingdom will be confirmed as the second Middle East country to host the global finals when football's governing body meets in Zurich