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Football’s world governing body has confirmed that the 2034 World Cup will be hosted by Saudi Arabia while the 2030 edition by Spain, Portugal and Morocco with Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay to each host one match in the tournament.

The decision comes after the FIFA Council advanced the two bids to its Extraordinary Congress, determining that each bid exceeded the minimum hosting requirements for the World Cup, whose next edition, expanding to a 48-team tournament, will take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026.

The FIFA Council was also updated on the accompanying independent auditor’s reports by BDO, which concluded that both evaluation processes were “executed with objectivity, integrity and transparency”.

While the destinies of both the 2030 and 2034 World Cups were effectively agreed in October 2023, the overnight meetings have seen the confirmation of the respective hosts.

Saudi Arabia’s confirmation as host of the 2034 World Cup represents a significant milestone in the Kingdom’s ambitious sporting vision and make it the second Middle Eastern nation to stage football’s showpiece event.

Promised to deliver “a tournament of a lifetime”, the Kingdom will bring more teams and more fans meeting in one place than ever before when it welcomes 48 nations to compete across its five proposed host cities 10 years from now.

Welcoming the decision, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, Minister of Sport and President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, advised “this is a historic moment for Saudi Arabia and a dream come true for all our 32 million people who simply love the game. The Kingdom is on a remarkable journey of transformation under Vision 2030 and today is another huge step forward that reflects and celebrates our progress while looking ahead to an even brighter future.

“Already we look forward to welcoming the world, to sharing our beautiful country, our culture and our deep passion for the game with open arms and warm hearts. We look forward to delivering a FIFA World Cup 2034 that creates new opportunities for all.

“We are writing new history and this is only possible with the support of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and the visionary leadership of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“Today our journey forward continues, and we thank FIFA, its Member Associations and the international football family who have entrusted us to deliver one of the world’s greatest ever sporting events.”

Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) President, Yasser Al Misehal added “football lives in our hearts so to host a FIFA World Cup is the ultimate honour and we have been working towards this for a very long time.

“We welcome the responsibility and opportunity to help grow the game globally for all and make a positive contribution on the world stage. We have taken huge strides in men’s and women’s football and across all of society and the FIFA World Cup 2034 is an open invitation to the world to join us on this exciting journey ahead.

“We promise to put on a tournament of a lifetime that leaves a lasting positive impact for the future of football, for players, and for fans.”

Hammad Albalawi, Head of the Saudi Arabia FIFA World Cup 2034 bid team, went on to say “football is a common language we share with the world, and this will be a tournament for the entire world to enjoy. We promise a tournament that will welcome all and give something for everyone.

“Beyond world-class stadiums, fans can look forward to stunning coasts, deserts and mountains while exploring ancient wonders and modern landscapes. It will be a tournament that is easy to get to and easy to get around as we want as many fans as possible from every corner of the world to share the magic of the FIFA World Cup with us.”

With a campaign entitled ‘Growing. Together’, Saudi Arabia submitted its official bid book for the 2034 FIFA World Cup in July 2024, featuring its ambitions to hold the tournament across five host cities - Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Abha and NEOM - at 15 venues.

The centrepiece of those will be the new King Salman International Stadium in Riyadh, that will host the opening match as well as the FIFA World Cup Final and will become home to the Saudi National Football Team.

The five city concept aims to be deliver a unique experience for players, fans, and officials alike, with outstanding facilities and accommodation to suit every budget – all with short travel times via well-connected transport links.

There is less than a two-hour average flight time between the five host cities and visitors to the Kingdom will also benefit from a seamless immigration process.

Having hosted more than 150 international sports events in recent years, including the FIFA Club World Cup in 2023 and the annual Formula 1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia is gaining a reputation as a world-leading sports hub, with an extensive national infrastructure already in place.

The FIFA World Cup 2034 is expected to further boost Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry which has grown significantly over the past eight years. The number of domestic and international tourists reached more than 100 million in 2023, and tourism and entertainment sectors continue to develop at pace across many of its diverse destinations, including NEOM, Qiddiya, the Red Sea and Diriyah.

Under Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia is developing sports to drive economic growth and improve quality of life. Football is already seeing the benefits, at all levels.

2034 will also see the Saudi capital of Riyadh also host the Asian Games.

Images: The FIFA World Cup trophy (top, credit: Shutterstock) and concepts for World Cup venues in Riyadh, the King Salman International Stadium (middle) and King Fahad Sports City Stadium (below).

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