Saudi Arabia has formally initiated its bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, marking a significant milestone in the kingdom’s sporting ambitions. This move comes nearly four months after FIFA announced Saudi Arabia as the sole candidate for hosting the prestigious tournament.
The bid announcement follows Qatar’s successful hosting of the first-ever World Cup in the Middle East two years prior.
Under the slogan “Growing. Together”, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) unveiled its bid logo, website, and a short bid film celebrating the passion, spirit, and diversity of football in Saudi Arabia.
Hammad Albalawi, head of the SAFF bid unit, expressed the significance of the campaign, stating, “This campaign is powered by the hopes and dreams of 32 million people in Saudi Arabia. Our responsibility is to submit the best possible bid to FIFA, make our country proud, and fulfill the trust placed upon us by more than 130 Member Associations across the world who supported our bid.”
Saudi Arabia’s ambitious bid aligns with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 reform agenda, which aims to position the kingdom as a global tourism, business, and sports hub. In recent years, Saudi Arabia has made substantial investments in sports, including a strategic partnership with the ATP, significant involvement in golf and football, and the acquisition of English Premier League club Newcastle United.
However, these investments have not been without controversy, with critics accusing the kingdom of “sportswashing” to deflect attention from its human rights record.
Initially considering a joint bid with Egypt and Greece for the 2030 World Cup, Saudi Arabia pivoted to focus solely on the 2034 tournament. The bid is supported by Indonesia, which had previously explored joint bids with Australia and other Southeast Asian countries.
