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FIFA confirms Saudi Arabia as 2034 World Cup host [Post Updated #29]

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Saudi Arabia is all but certain to host the men’s 2034 FIFA World Cup after the Australian football federation declined to enter the bidding contest.

FIFA had set Tuesday as the deadline to submit a bid to host the tournament, but Australia’s decision to pull out leaves Saudi Arabia as the only declared candidate.

FIFA still needs to rubber stamp Saudi Arabia as the hosts – a decision that is likely to be made next year – but victory now seems a formality.
 
Good for the Saudi people. Atleast they will relax alot of laws in the process for this.

Ironically, when the laws are relaxed, Pakistani people go crazy and link human rights to a sign of day of judgement. lol
 
I really didn't expect the World Cup to return to the middle east that soon.

It still would be great if they sort of changed the 2030 World Cup hosts though
 
Congrats. It feels so long away. So much can change in the region in that time.
 
DeadlyVenom said:
Congrats. It feels so long away. So much can change in the region in that time.
Click to expand...
i remember when london won the bid for the 2012 olympics and it felt like such a long time away, now the olympics themselves feel like ancient history, time goes too fast when you get old.
 
Is it true that no other country bid for this ? How is it possible ? Is this tournament also a losing project for the Hosts ? I thought many countries would be competing to host the World's Most popular Sporting event.
 
I just really hope that this time, there are no labour work issues and labour workers rights gets solved ASAP.
 
I have the following predictions:

- Saudi League will be one of the biggest leagues in the world by 2034

- By 2034, the UCL will not be the premier club competition in the world. It will be overshadowed by the redesigned Club World Cup where Clubs from Europe, Asia, North & Latin America will be competing with each other

- India will host a World Cup by 2050. FIFA would eventually fully tap into the billion eyeballs market and they have already started doing that at junior levels

All of this is a slap in the faces of the those who thought and assumed that European dominance will stay forever. Europe had its run for a good 100 years but now the balance of power is slowly but surely shifting.
 
Just like Formula One where there are now 4 races (Bahrain, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Jeddah), the Arabs are looking to throw money to get more football into their venues. Fair play to them, and coupled with inter-Arab rivalry there will always be some Sheikh to outbid another over time.
 
Mamoon said:
I have the following predictions:

- Saudi League will be one of the biggest leagues in the world by 2034

- By 2034, the UCL will not be the premier club competition in the world. It will be overshadowed by the redesigned Club World Cup where Clubs from Europe, Asia, North & Latin America will be competing with each other

- India will host a World Cup by 2050. FIFA would eventually fully tap into the billion eyeballs market and they have already started doing that at junior levels

All of this is a slap in the faces of the those who thought and assumed that European dominance will stay forever. Europe had its run for a good 100 years but now the balance of power is slowly but surely shifting.
Click to expand...
What happens when the petrodollars run out?
Sports is not really the first stage of an open and diverse society. Unless you have homegrown talents and sports culture, all this money is just waste.
European domination was going to end. But it will not be a saudi sunrise by anymeans. Sponsored, subsidized promotions do not last long and fade away very quickly. India might have a better chance by 2050 or later with its organic growth.
 
New research claims to show the extent and scale of Saudi Arabian state investment and involvement in sport for the first time.

The report published by Play the Game - run by the Danish Institute for Sport Studies, which is funded by the country's government - found 312 sponsorship deals across 21 sports, as well as multi-sport events.

Play the Game's data was released days after the gulf kingdom was confirmed as the sole bidder for the 2034 World Cup.

The research details how football is the main focus with 83 of the 312 deals - motorsport, with 34 deals, and golf, with 33, are the two sports with the greatest number of agreements after that.

The research suggests 139 of the deals are connected directly to the Saudi sovereign wealth fund - the Public Investment Fund (PIF), that estimates its wealth assets at $700bn (£574bn), and which also owns Newcastle United.

Both the PIF and Saudi Sports Ministry have been approached for comment.

In June, Newcastle confirmed PIF-owned events company Sela as their new shirt sponsor on a multi-year deal, one of a number of Saudi partnerships it now has.

This year, PIF also took over four leading Saudi Pro League football clubs.

In addition, it owns and finances the LIV Golf series.

In October, the country's tourism board Visit Saudi became the main sponsor of the new African Football League, and the official global partner of the Asian Football Confederation. It also has a sponsorship deal with Spain's La Liga.

Saudi Arabia's national oil company Aramco, meanwhile, is a major sponsor of Formula 1 and has a global partnership with the International Cricket Council, the sport's world governing body.

Play the Game researcher Stanis Elsborg told BBC Sport that the research was based on publicly available information and represents "a minimum" figure.

"Saudi Arabia's sports strategy is run by a small group of individuals that hold important positions inside and outside sport at the same time," he said.

"We wanted to show that these people engage in world politics on behalf of Saudi Arabia, both as representatives of the sports world but mainly as state representatives of the geo-political interests of Saudi Arabia."

Earlier this year, in a US court case, documents published by LIV Golf's lawyers described the PIF as "a sovereign instrumentality of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia" and PIF Governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan - the chairman of both Aramco and Newcastle United - as "a sitting minister of the government".

Saudi Arabia has been criticised for its human rights violations - 81 men were executed on one day last year - women's rights abuses, the criminalisation of homosexuality, the restriction of free speech and the war in Yemen.

The country's international standing was severely damaged by the 2018 killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a US-based Saudi journalist who was a prominent critic of the government.

Human rights campaigners say sport is being used by the Saudi government to detract from long-standing reputation issues, a process known as 'sportswashing'.

Environmental campaigners have also raised their concerns.

Freddie Daley, from environmental campaign group Badvertising, said: "Saudi Arabia's push into sport is a concerted, targeted and strategically astute effort for the country to bolster its standing on the world stage and leverage the soft power of sport."

Daley said Saudi Arabia is a "country deeply dependent on fossil fuels" and that its "massive presence within sport" allows it to continue "promoting and normalising high-carbon products to billions of fans".

He added: "This research shows how extensively global sport is becoming intertwined with Saudi investment and hosting the World Cup in 2034 is set to be the cherry on top."

The Saudi authorities have previously rejected such criticism, insisting that their investments are designed to help sports to grow, modernise the country as part of the ruling crown prince's 'Vision 2030' strategy, diversify the economy away from a reliance on oil, boost tourism, and inspire a youthful population to be more active.

Other oil-rich countries such as the United Arab Emirates also have government-owned companies such as Emirates and Mubadala with sponsorship portfolios including European football clubs, stadiums and high-profile sporting events.

BBC
 
Unlikely to happen, 11 years time the world will be a very different place.
 
I guess that means Palestinians can say goodbye to any last hope. No way MBS would have been granted this if he was leaning against Israel or west.
 
Saudi Arabia ready to host 2034 World Cup: Sports minister

Saudi Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal has talked up the sporting and economic opportunities of the Kingdom hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup, saying his country is ready to host the world’s biggest sporting event.

In an interview with the BBC, he raised the prospect of the Kingdom hosting the competition in the summer rather than the winter, noted the importance of sport in a country where the majority of citizens are below the age of 30, and discussed the progress made by the Saudi Pro League.

The government has invested over £5 billion ($6.26 billion) in sports since 2021 as part of the Vision 2030 strategy to diversify the economy away from dependence on fossil fuels.

With the FIFA Club World Cup set to begin in the Kingdom next month, Prince Abdulaziz said Saudi Arabia is more than ready to host the biggest prize in football.

“We’ve showcased that — we’ve hosted more than 85 global events and we’ve delivered on the highest level,” he said.

“We want to attract the world through sports. Hopefully, by 2034, people will have an extraordinary World Cup.”

Since 2021, Saudi Arabia has hosted high-profile boxing matches, ATP tennis tournaments and Formula 1 racing.

The Public Investment Fund made waves when taking control of Premier League side Newcastle United and setting up the LIV Golf tour.

“Twenty million of our population are below the age of 30, so we need to get them engaged — we are playing our role to develop sports within the world and to be part of the international community,” Prince Abdulaziz said.

He added that lessons would be taken from the 2022 FIFA World Cup in neighboring Qatar, which had to be held in winter to avoid high temperatures.

He said Saudi Arabia is “definitely” looking into whether a summer contest would be feasible.

“Why not see what the possibilities are to do it in the summer? Whether it is summer or winter, it doesn’t matter for us, as long as we make sure that we (deliver) the right atmosphere to host such an event,” he added.

On the subject of the World Cup’s sustainability, Prince Abdulaziz said: “It’s a mandate on us in the Kingdom to make sure that we abide by the international regulations … to make sure that we play our role, to make sure that it’s eco-friendly.”

He addressed the progress of football in the Kingdom, which has taken on global significance since the £750 million influx of big names to the Saudi Pro League earlier this year, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Neymar.

At grassroots, too, football is gaining in popularity, and the Kingdom even sees over 70,000 women and girls regularly taking part in the sport.

“All of our big matches have attracted record numbers so far … We’re broadcasting to 147 countries around the world,” Prince Abdulaziz said.

“When we planned to develop the league we never thought that we would do it with such pace, but to see that is actually refreshing and it actually showcases the importance of this. Our focus is to develop our league to attract the best in the world.”


www.arabnews.com

Saudi Arabia ready to host 2034 World Cup: Sports minister

LONDON: Saudi Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal has talked up the sporting and economic opportunities of the Kingdom hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup, saying his country is ready to host the world’s biggest sporting event. In an interview with the BBC, he raised the prospect of...
www.arabnews.com www.arabnews.com
 
Good for the country, good for Arab world to show their strength…..

Saudi Arabia also hosting Jeddah Film Festival every year and calling film fraternities across the globe
 
Saudi Arabia, the only contender to host the 2034 World Cup, has formally launched its bid for the tournament.

The Gulf Kingdom became the sole bidder in October when Australia pulled out of the race hours before Fifa's deadline for declarations of interest.

A Fifa congress will confirm the hosts later this year.

Despite being the only bidder, Fifa regulations require Saudi Arabia to formally bid for the tournament.


BBC
 
Saudi Arabia is investing a lot of money into sports, entertainment and tourism. It will not be same country after the 10 years when you consider it with Saudi Arabia of 10 years ago.
 

MBS endorses Saudi’s preparations ahead of FIFA World Cup 2034 bid book submission​


Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has endorsed the Kingdom’s bid to host the FIFA World Cup 2034, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Monday.

The endorsement follows the completion of the bid’s detailed requirements ahead of the bid book submission to FIFA in France’s Paris.

A delegation, led Minister of Sports Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal Al Saud and President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation Yasser Al Misehal, will represent the Kingdom at the bid book submission ceremony.

The official bid book forms part of the FIFA World Cup 2034 bid journey, which commenced on October 4, 2023 when Saudi Arabia, via the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, announced its intention to bid, SPA reported.

It was then followed by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation submitting its official letter of intent to FIFA, before the bid brand identity was revealed under the slogan ‘Growing. Together.’

The bidding period is set to conclude later this year in December when FIFA officially announces the host nation of the FIFA World Cup 2034 during a General Assembly meeting, the report added.

“We are committed to hosting an exceptional edition of the FIFA World CupTM set to feature 48 teams in a single country for the first time in the history of the competition,” Prince Abdulaziz said.

“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince’s direct supervision of Saudi Arabia’s ambitions of hosting this iconic global football event showcases his commitment to elevating the future of Saudi sport, in line with Vision 2030, and help nurture a generation of athletes capable of competing at the highest global stage. We will continue to showcase to the world our nation’s transformation across all sectors, what our youthful and vibrant population can offer and our massive capabilities of hosting the world’s biggest sporting events.”

 

Saudi Arabia unveils 2034 World Cup plans: 11 new stadiums, five cities​


Saudi Arabia plans to build 11 new stadiums as part of its bid to host the 2034 men’s World Cup.

FIFA has unveiled Saudi Arabia’s formal bid book for the tournament which outlines the five proposed host cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Abha and Neom, the futuristic desert urban area located on the coast of the Red Sea that is currently under construction.

The country’s capital Riyadh will be home to eight of the 15 stadiums used at the tournament. This includes the new King Salman Stadium, a 92,000-capacity venue that is set to host the opening game and the final and become the national stadium for Saudi Arabia.

The new Neom Stadium is planned to be located in The Line, a proposed 106-mile-long linear city featuring two parallel skyscrapers connected by walkways, stretching across desert and mountains. The construction of the city has been the subject of concerns from United Nations human rights experts.

Neom Stadium will be situated more than 350 metres above the ground and it is claimed it will be “run entirely on renewable energy, generated primarily from wind and solar sources”. Construction is estimated to be completed in 2032.

Refurbishments are also planned for the existing four stadiums: King Saud University Stadium, King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, King Khalid University Stadium and King Fahad Sports City Stadium.

An additional 10 cities will be used to host training bases. The bid proposes a total of 134 training sites across Saudi Arabia: 61 existing facilities and 73 newly-built venues.

Saudi’s minister for sport, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal Al Saud, said: “Together, we are working towards materialising Saudi Arabia’s dream of hosting the FIFA World Cup into a tangible reality – as outlined within our official bid book. These plans will combine our rich football heritage with our deep passion for the game and will ensure Saudi Arabia’s success as the first nation to host a 48-team tournament in one country.”

www.nytimes.com

Saudi Arabia unveils 2034 World Cup plans: 11 new stadiums, five cities

Saudi Arabia plans to build 11 new stadiums as part of its bid to host the 2034 men’s World Cup. FIFA has unveiled Saudi Arabia’s formal bid book for the tournament which outlines the five proposed host cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Abha and Neom, the futuristic desert urban area located on...
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
 
FA still to decide on endorsing Saudi World Cup bid

The Football Association is still to decide whether it will officially endorse Saudi Arabia's 2034 men's World Cup bid at next week's virtual Fifa Congress.

Insiders have told the BBC that discussions involving the FA's board remain ongoing.

It has been suggested that rather than a traditional vote, ratification might instead be confirmed by acclamation - with federations in favour asked to show their support by applauding.

However, Fifa is yet to confirm this, and FA officials have sought clarification on the process.

On Friday, the DFB - Germany's national football association - announced it would vote in favour of both the Saudi Arabia bid and a multi-nation bid for the 2030 event.

The BBC has learned that FA officials are mindful of concerns over Saudi Arabia's human rights record.

However, some are also wary of suggestions of hypocrisy if the body declines to endorse the tournament, but then participates in it.

Saudi Arabia is the sole bidder for the 2034 event, while the 2030 World Cup is set to be awarded to unopposed co-hosts Spain, Morocco and Portugal, with early matches also being played in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.

The ratification process has been combined so the 2030 and 2034 hosts will be decided jointly.

It would appear, therefore, that if federations oppose one bid, they would have to support neither, with no separate acclamation for each of the potential hosts.


www.bbc.com

World Cup 2034: Football Association yet to decide whether it will officially endorse Saudi bid

The Football Association is still to decide whether it will officially endorse Saudi Arabia's 2034 men's World Cup bid at next week's virtual Fifa Congress.
www.bbc.com
 

Norway plans protest over decision to award 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia​


Norway’s football federation plans to abstain from giving its approval when Saudi Arabia is confirmed Wednesday as the 2034 World Cup host, saying Fifa has done too little to protect human rights around the tournament.

"Fifa's own guidelines for human rights and due diligence have also not been adequately integrated into the process, increasing the risk of human rights violations," Norway federation president Lise Klaveness said in a statement Tuesday.

Fifa's 211 member federations are holding an online meeting on Wednesday to rubberstamp the decision to give Saudi Arabia the 2034 World Cup and award the 2030 edition to a six-nation project led by Spain, Portugal and Morocco that will see games played on three continents.

"(Wednesday's) vote is not about who gets the 2030 and 2034 World Cups — that has already been decided," Klaveness said, adding that Fifa's approval without an itemized vote "does not align with the principles of a sound and predictable governance system."

Fifa shaped the contests last year to have just one bid each that faced limited outside scrutiny, as the soccer body and its president Gianni Infantino continued to build deeper financial and political ties to Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia has a massive construction plan for stadiums, hotels and transport for the World Cup set to rely heavily on migrant labor - raising concerns that Fifa is inviting a repeat of intense challenges and fatalities faced by workers in Qatar during preparations to host the 2022 edition. Norway and Klaveness also put pressure on Fifa and Qatar before that tournament.

Fifa’s in-house evaluation of the Saudi bid rated the tournament an elevated risk though with "significant opportunities for positive human rights impact," which activists claimed was a whitewash.

A Fifa-mandated Saudi report on human rights was commissioned from a legal firm closely tied to the kingdom, and it committed World Cup organisers only to work with state-approved domestic agencies plus the UN-backed International Labor Organization.

The ILO in Geneva, which worked with Qatar to reform the "kafala" system of labor rules, is currently investigating a formal complaint alleging abuses in Saudi Arabia filed by the global trade union Building and Wood Workers' International.

Switzerland's soccer federation said Tuesday it will support Fifa's 2030-2034 decisions, but noted "some vagueness on certain points" of the Saudi strategy to protect rights and freedoms.

"We consider it the duty of Fifa and the organizers, in cooperation with renowned independent international organizations" beyond the ILO, Swiss federation president Dominique Blanc said, "to look closely, observe and monitor whether commitments and promises made to workers, teams, fans and media professionals are upheld."

Ultimately, the Swiss soccer body said, it believed Fifa and World Cup organizers in Saudi Arabia "have learned the lessons from Qatar."

However, Fifa has ignored advice to compensate workers in Qatar and their families, given by a panel of rights experts appointed last year under pressure from European soccer officials including Norway.

Fifa withheld the panel's report for almost a year until publishing it Nov. 30, two days after announcing a 2022 World Cup legacy fund of $50 million that that does not give anything directly to the workers. The money is going to charity projects linked to UN agencies.

"The lack of predictability and open processes challenges trust in Fifa as the global custodian of football," Klaveness said.

www.independent.co.uk

Norway plans protest over decision to award 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia

No opposition or alternative to Saudi hosting the event has been offered or encouraged by Fifa
www.independent.co.uk www.independent.co.uk
 
FearlessRoar said:

Norway plans protest over decision to award 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia​


Norway’s football federation plans to abstain from giving its approval when Saudi Arabia is confirmed Wednesday as the 2034 World Cup host, saying Fifa has done too little to protect human rights around the tournament.

"Fifa's own guidelines for human rights and due diligence have also not been adequately integrated into the process, increasing the risk of human rights violations," Norway federation president Lise Klaveness said in a statement Tuesday.

Fifa's 211 member federations are holding an online meeting on Wednesday to rubberstamp the decision to give Saudi Arabia the 2034 World Cup and award the 2030 edition to a six-nation project led by Spain, Portugal and Morocco that will see games played on three continents.

"(Wednesday's) vote is not about who gets the 2030 and 2034 World Cups — that has already been decided," Klaveness said, adding that Fifa's approval without an itemized vote "does not align with the principles of a sound and predictable governance system."

Fifa shaped the contests last year to have just one bid each that faced limited outside scrutiny, as the soccer body and its president Gianni Infantino continued to build deeper financial and political ties to Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia has a massive construction plan for stadiums, hotels and transport for the World Cup set to rely heavily on migrant labor - raising concerns that Fifa is inviting a repeat of intense challenges and fatalities faced by workers in Qatar during preparations to host the 2022 edition. Norway and Klaveness also put pressure on Fifa and Qatar before that tournament.

Fifa’s in-house evaluation of the Saudi bid rated the tournament an elevated risk though with "significant opportunities for positive human rights impact," which activists claimed was a whitewash.

A Fifa-mandated Saudi report on human rights was commissioned from a legal firm closely tied to the kingdom, and it committed World Cup organisers only to work with state-approved domestic agencies plus the UN-backed International Labor Organization.

The ILO in Geneva, which worked with Qatar to reform the "kafala" system of labor rules, is currently investigating a formal complaint alleging abuses in Saudi Arabia filed by the global trade union Building and Wood Workers' International.

Switzerland's soccer federation said Tuesday it will support Fifa's 2030-2034 decisions, but noted "some vagueness on certain points" of the Saudi strategy to protect rights and freedoms.

"We consider it the duty of Fifa and the organizers, in cooperation with renowned independent international organizations" beyond the ILO, Swiss federation president Dominique Blanc said, "to look closely, observe and monitor whether commitments and promises made to workers, teams, fans and media professionals are upheld."

Ultimately, the Swiss soccer body said, it believed Fifa and World Cup organizers in Saudi Arabia "have learned the lessons from Qatar."

However, Fifa has ignored advice to compensate workers in Qatar and their families, given by a panel of rights experts appointed last year under pressure from European soccer officials including Norway.

Fifa withheld the panel's report for almost a year until publishing it Nov. 30, two days after announcing a 2022 World Cup legacy fund of $50 million that that does not give anything directly to the workers. The money is going to charity projects linked to UN agencies.

"The lack of predictability and open processes challenges trust in Fifa as the global custodian of football," Klaveness said.

www.independent.co.uk

Norway plans protest over decision to award 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia

No opposition or alternative to Saudi hosting the event has been offered or encouraged by Fifa
www.independent.co.uk www.independent.co.uk
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LOL at Norway.

Norway generally never makes it to World Cup. Why do they care?
 
Get a life Norway. You are a little nation and don’t get to be representative of the world or of any region. Saudis are investing so much money into sports and benefitting so many athletes. They deserve it all.
 
The Football Association is expected to support Saudi Arabia's bid to host the 2034 World Cup and a multi-nation hosting of the 2030 World Cup

The FA has not officially declared its position but BBC Sport has learned the governing body for English football will back both bids at Wednesday afternoon's online Fifa Congress where the tournament hosts will be officially confirmed.

The FA is expected to issue a statement after the Congress explaining its stance.

Some senior FA officials are known to have been wary of accusations of hypocrisy if it were not to support Saudi Arabia but then wants England to participate.

Saudi Arabia is the sole bidder for the 2034 event, while the 2030 World Cup is set to be awarded to unopposed co-hosts Spain, Morocco and Portugal, with early matches also being played in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.

While Saudi Arabia's hosting appears to be a formality, the FA's support of the nation's bid will be controversial, given the kingdom's human rights record and discriminatory laws.

Rather than a traditional vote, it has been suggested the ratification process will be confirmed by acclamation - with federations in favour asked to show their support by applauding.

Delegates will have to vote at the same time on both bids, meaning they can either support or oppose both. There is no separate vote for the tournaments.

Norway's football federation is set to abstain from the vote, arguing the bidding process "undermines Fifa's own reforms for good governance".

On Friday, the DFB - Germany's national football association - announced it would vote in favour of both bids.

"We did not make the decision lightly and carefully examined the application for the 2034 World Cup," DFB president Bernd Neuendorf said.

"We take the criticism of the applicant country seriously and will continue to engage in dialogue. Our goal is to work together with Fifa to improve the situation in the coming years."

BBC
 

Fifa confirms Saudi Arabia as 2034 World Cup host​


The 2034 men's football World Cup will be held in Saudi Arabia, while Spain, Portugal and Morocco will be joint hosts for the 2030 tournament, world governing body Fifa has confirmed.

Three matches in the 2030 tournament will also be held in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay to mark 100 years of the competition.

The hosts for both World Cups were confirmed at Wednesday's Extraordinary Fifa Congress meeting following a vote.

All 211 of Fifa's member nations were represented at the meeting over a video link.

The hosts for both tournaments, and of the 2030 centenary celebrations, were confirmed via two separate votes.

The first selected Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina as the centenary hosts.

The second confirmed the three hosts for 2030, as well as Saudi Arabia being awarded the 2034 tournament.

Nations gave their votes by 'acclamation' - clapping in front of their cameras via their video links.

Norway opted to abstain from giving their approval for the 2034 tournament being awarded to Saudi Arabia because of the bidding process, not because Saudi Arabia were named hosts.

Switzerland also asked for their observations before the vote to be included in the meeting minutes.

In all three decisions just one voting option was available, shrouding the proceedings in controversy.

Saudi Arabia has been accused of 'sportswashing' in recent years - using its unprecedented spending on sport to improve the oil-producing kingdom's reputation over its human rights record and environmental impact.

Of the 15 stadiums identified to hold matches at the 2034 World Cup, four have been built so far.

www.bbc.com

2034 Fifa World Cup: Saudi Arabia confirmed as hosts for tournament

Saudi Arabia is confirmed as host for the 2034 World Cup, while Spain, Portugal and Morcoco will serve as joint hosts for the 2030 tournament.
www.bbc.com
 
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Congratulations to MBS guess being a stooge to West pays off in different ways for a country.
 
Saudi Arabia gave 'assurances' over LGBTQ fans at World Cup: English FA

London (AFP) – England's Football Association said it had received assurances from Saudi Arabia that LGBTQ fans would be "safe and welcome" at the 2034 World Cup, explaining its support for the successful bid from the Gulf state.

FIFA confirmed on Wednesday that the Middle East nation would host the tournament, underlining the kingdom's growing influence in world sport despite criticism of its human rights record.

At the same time, world football's governing body confirmed that Morocco, Spain and Portugal will be joint hosts of the 2030 World Cup, in which three games will also be played in South America.

The awarding of the World Cup to Saudi Arabia will make the issue of human rights a major talking point again, just as it was two years ago when the tournament was staged in Qatar.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in closing remarks at Wednesday's congress that the organisation was "inclusive" and "non-discriminatory".

"We are of course aware of critics and fears, and I fully trust our hosts to address all open points from this process and deliver a FIFA World Cup which meets expectations," he added.

The English FA explained its support for the 2030 and 2034 bids in a statement shortly after confirmation of the hosting decisions.

It said the FA board met Saudi football chiefs last month to discuss the bid in detail.

"We asked them to commit to ensuring all fans would be safe and welcome in Saudi Arabia in 2034 -- including LGBTQ+ fans," the FA said.

"They assured us that they are fully committed to providing a safe and welcome environment for all fans.

"Football is a global game and is for everyone. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion means being respectful of all, including all religions and cultures.

"We also believe that hosting World Cups can be a catalyst for positive change, which is best delivered by working collaboratively in partnership with host nations.

"We will work with FIFA and (European governing body) UEFA to ensure that commitments to respect all human rights are delivered."

Source: France 24
 
JaDed said:
Congratulations to MBS guess being a stooge to West pays off in different ways for a country.
Click to expand...

You could say this is the other way round, there's no reason to allow Saudis to host the World Cup unless the west are becoming stooges for Saudi Arabia.
 
Cpt. Rishwat said:
You could say this is the other way round, there's no reason to allow Saudis to host the World Cup unless the west are becoming stooges for Saudi Arabia.
Click to expand...
Saudi owns US er more believable is Zionist owning Saudi
 
JaDed said:
Saudi owns US er more believable is Zionist owning Saudi
Click to expand...

Not sure about that. The Zionests are desperate for Saudi to make a lasting deal with them.

Even our UK PM was in Saudi few days back, Poodling up to the Saudi Regime.
 
SJ2gAOf.jpeg
 
Australia players union slams FIFA over 2034 Saudi World Cup

Australia's professional soccer players union has condemned the awarding of the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia, saying significant human rights risks are attached to the tournament while questioning FIFA's ability to prevent harm from occurring.

FIFA officially awarded the World Cup to the kingdom on Thursday with the sole bid for the tournament confirmed by acclamation.

Professional Footballers Australia boss Beau Busch said it was crucial for the international soccer community to hold FIFA accountable for the decision.

"The significant human rights risks linked to this tournament are well-documented," Busch said in a statement emailed to Reuters.

"By securing hosting rights to the global game's most prestigious event, Saudi Arabia and FIFA must ensure the rights of everyone affected by the 2034 Men's World Cup are upheld and safeguarded.

"However, FIFA's ongoing governance failures and lack of accountability to its own human rights commitments leave no assurance that harm can or will be prevented."

The Saudi government communications office and FIFA did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Saudi Arabia denies accusations of human rights abuses and says it protects its national security through its laws.

FIFA's decision has drawn criticism from an array of organisations including migrant workers groups, trade unions and LGBTQIA activists concerned about the kingdom's human rights record.

Saudi Arabia confirmed its bid last year within minutes of FIFA announcing 2034 would be hosted in Asia or Oceania.

FIFA set a deadline of less than four weeks for nations to lodge rival bids.

Though the Asian Football Confederation threw its support behind Saudi Arabia, Football Australia (FA) explored making a joint bid with Indonesia before deciding against it.

Australia's players were critical of 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar, with the men's team releasing a video calling out the Gulf state's record on human rights and same-sex relationships.

Football Australia backed the players' stance on Qatar and later objected to Saudi Arabian sponsorship of the 2023 Women's World Cup following reports the kingdom's government tourism agency would be a major sponsor of the tournament.

However, FA joined the majority of international football associations in showing support for the kingdom's 2034 bid.

"Saudi Arabia has demonstrated a strong commitment to hosting a world-class tournament and we remain confident in FIFA's frameworks and the FIFA World Cup's capacity for positive change," FA said in a statement to Reuters.

REUTERS
 
Im not fan of the Saudi regime but Qatar world cup was the best in history. Zero violence, state of the art stadiums, great restuarants and most importantly fantastic football as the location meant not just travelling for players.

Saudi if it ever happens will surpass this.

LGBT fans can stay home, they wont be missed.
 
KingKhanWC said:
Im not fan of the Saudi regime but Qatar world cup was the best in history. Zero violence, state of the art stadiums, great restuarants and most importantly fantastic football as the location meant not just travelling for players.

Saudi if it ever happens will surpass this.

LGBT fans can stay home, they wont be missed.
Click to expand...

Qatar World Cup was awesome.

I also expect KSA World Cup to be a great one (in sha Allah).
 
FA defends decision to back Saudi World Cup bid

The Football Association's decision to back Saudi Arabia's bid to host the 2034 World Cup was "not difficult" after organisers gave "a lot of commitments", its chair Debbie Hewitt says.

Saudi Arabia was confirmed as host of the men's tournament on Wednesday by football's world governing body Fifa.

Organisers have insisted everyone will be welcome, but the country has been criticised for its human rights violations, women's rights abuses and the criminalisation of homosexuality.

However, Hewitt told BBC Radio 5 Live that England's FA asked "a lot of questions" before supporting the bid.

"It wasn't a difficult decision - I think it was a very thorough process," added Hewitt.

"We spent a lot of time with the Saudis, understanding their approach to the tournament.

"We asked a lot of questions, they gave us a lot of time and they gave us a lot of commitments and I think the important thing is that we will now work with them over the next 10 years leading up to the tournament to make sure that those commitments are delivered - from both sides."

The FA met with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) last month to discuss the bid in more detail. It said it was assured the SAFF is committed to providing a safe environment for all fans - including LGBTQ+ supporters.

"We were reassured by the answers that we got and think this is about a partnership," said Hewitt, who added the FA would give organisers "the right groups to consult with".

"A tournament is not just about the host. A tournament is about those who go along and play their part in it and that's what we want to do."

The 2034 World Cup will be the second to be held in the Middle East - it was staged in Qatar in 2022.

Saudi Arabia's international standing was severely damaged by the 2018 killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a US-based Saudi journalist who was a prominent critic of the government.

In a statement, Rodney Dixon KC, who previously represented Hatice Cengiz, the widow of Khashoggi, said it was disappointing the FA, along with the Scottish and Welsh FAs - who also backed Saudi's bid - had "merely followed the crowd", rather than taking a stance against the oil-producing kingdom's violations.

"They should reflect on their position and make use of the time before the 2034 World Cup to press for the necessary reforms in country, failing which they should act together with all states that stand for universal human rights to withdraw the tournament from Saudi Arabia," Dixon added.


www.bbc.com

Saudi 2034 World Cup: FA chair Debbie Hewitt says it 'wasn't a difficult decision' to back bid

Football Association chair Debbie Hewitt tells BBC Radio 5 Live it "wasn't a difficult decision" to back Saudi Arabia's bid to host the 2034 men's World Cup.
www.bbc.com
 
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