Saudi Arabia to Host the 2034 Football World Cup

Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 Football World Cup. This was reported by the Russian service of the BBC.

The Football Association of Australia has decided to focus on hosting the women’s Asian Cup in 2026 and the FIFA Club World Cup in 2029 instead of pursuing the World Cup.

The 2026 Football World Cup will take place in the USA, Mexico, and Canada. Morocco, Portugal, and Spain will host the 2030 World Cup, with some matches also being held in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.

FIFA had previously announced that the 2034 World Cup could be held in either Asia or Oceania. Thus, Australia was considered Saudi Arabia's only competitor.

Although the Asian Football Confederation supports Saudi Arabia's bid, hosting the World Cup there would be controversial. The country has been repeatedly accused of human rights violations.

In 2022, Saudi Arabia executed 81 people in just one day and has also faced criticism for suppressing women's rights, criminalizing homosexuality, restricting freedom of speech, and its involvement in the war in Yemen.