Saudi Arabia's uncontested 2034 FIFA World Cup bid raises questions

Australia's withdrawal on Tuesday (October 31) cleared the path for Saudi Arabia to secure the hosting rights for the 2034 FIFA World Cup uncontested, marking a significant milestone in the Saudi football project.

What happened

• Australia's withdrawal from the 2034 World Cup bid has essentially paved the way for Saudi Arabia to host the tournament. 
• FIFA had called for bids from Asia and Oceania, but Football Australia decided to focus on other events. 

• Saudi Arabia remains the sole confirmed bidder for the 2034 World Cup. Their bid received support from the Asian Football Confederation and more than 100 FIFA member nations. 
• It appears highly likely that Saudi Arabia will host the tournament in 2034, with seemingly  strong backing from Gianni Infantino.

Ultimate stage of Saudi Football project

• Numerous analysts and pundits view Saudi Arabia's World Cup move as the culmination of their football project.
• The Saudi Pro League’s aim for global broadcasting expansion and top 10 status in football leagues was evident from the moment it started its football project. 
• It's seen remarkable growth in revenue, attendance, and online engagement, with a 650% revenue increase in the 2023/24 season.  

• This follows a major summer investment, luring top football talent to Saudi clubs. Big names like Neymar, Karim Benzema, Sadio Mane, N'Golo Kante, Riyad Mahrez, and Jordan Henderson joined, building on Cristiano Ronaldo's 2021 move to Saudi side Al Nassr  from Manchester United.
• While the Saudi Pro League club initially denied reports of a contract clause involving Cristiano Ronaldo serving as a World Cup bid ambassador for Al Nassr, the situation is now hinting towards that direction itself. 

Did FIFA favour Saudi Arabia?

Though there hasn’t been any vocal disapproval with Saudi Arabia hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup, the way in which Saudi Arabia was almost handed over the hosting rights surprised everyone.

Surprise Item 4.6

• At a FIFA council meeting in October, originally meant for discussing routine football calendar issues, the proposal tucked away under item 4.6: "Bidding processes and hosting of the FIFA World Cup™." came out of nowhere. 
• The proposal suggested significant changes, such as altering the rules for when countries could bid to host the World Cup and ensuring that different regions take turns hosting the tournament, with Asia or Oceania hosting in 2034. 
• These changes made it much easier for Saudi Arabia to confidently bid and quickly win the hosting rights.
• Even though top football administrators, including the head of UEFA and the English FA, only learned about these proposals a week before the meeting, they were swiftly approved. 

The bidding process

• James Johnson, head of Football Australia (FA), initially mentioned the potential for the 2034 World Cup bid. 
• Just when the bidding process reached the climax, the organisation announced its intent to prioritise bids for the 2026 Women's Asian Cup and the 2029 Club World Cup.
• FIFA revealed plans for a global World Cup in 2030 involving six countries and three continents. They imposed a tight one-month deadline, expiring on October 31, for countries to express their interest in hosting. 
• Afterward, another one-month period was allocated for a bidding agreement requiring government support.
• This left Australia with just two months to secure government backing for hosting a 48-team World Cup, which seemed more or less impossible for the country.
• Although there were initial reports of a joint bid from Australia, Indonesia, and Singapore, Indonesia later endorsed the Saudi bid. 

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to be hosted by the USA, Canada, and Mexico, with the 2030 edition planned for Portugal, Morocco, and Spain, including matches in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay.