FIFA award is just a formality
Saudi Arabia is “applying” for the 2034 World Cup
March 1, 2024, 7:58 p.m
DFB President Bernd Neuendorf considers Saudi Arabia to be a “real football country”, while many accuse the kingdom of sportswashing. The 2034 World Cup will most likely take place there – even if the official application process is only now beginning.
Despite the fact that the 2034 World Cup has been virtually awarded to the kingdom, Saudi Arabia has begun its official bid process for the final tournament. The country’s football association launched its campaign under the motto “Grow. Together.” This is intended to allude to both the growth of Saudi Arabia and the positive influence of a World Cup in the country for international football and its most important tournament.
The world association FIFA still has to formally award the 2034 finals, but President Gianni Infantino practically presented Saudi Arabia as the host at the end of October. After Australia withdrew, there was no longer any competitor for Saudi Arabia, which was massively in trouble because of the human rights situation there is subject to criticism. The kingdom is accused of wanting to burnish its image through sport.
The kingdom has recently expanded its influence in football in a spectacular way and attracted some of the biggest names to the domestic league: Neymar, Karim Benzema, Sadio Mané – and Cristiano Ronaldo, who is said to earn around 200 million euros a year at Al-Nassr. The oil state now also has its fingers in the game internationally, for example pumping hundreds of millions into Premier League team Newcastle United via the PIF or organizing Supercup finals. The 2034 World Cup therefore appears to be the logical next step.
DFB President Bernd Neuendorf recently said that, in contrast to Qatar, the host of the 2022 World Cup, he sees Saudi Arabia as a “real football country” and does not share the sometimes great criticism of the football model there. At the end of January, he reported that he recently got an on-site picture with other association presidents from Europe. “It has already become clear that the Saudis are not just interested in signing expensive stars for their top clubs.” Nevertheless, he believes that Europe will remain “the number one football region in the world”.
The next World Cup will be held in 2026 in the USA, Canada and Mexico with 48 participants for the first time. In 2030, the game will be played on three continents for the first time – Europe (Spain, Portugal), Africa (Morocco) and South America (Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay). The FIFA Congress also still has to formally approve this plan.