Rabat – Saudi Arabia is poised to become the host nation for the highly anticipated 2034 Men’s World Cup after Football Australia chose to forgo its bid to host the tournament.
The decision from Football Australia was officially announced just hours before FIFA’s deadline for declarations of interest on Tuesday, leaving Saudi Arabia as the solitary contender in the race to host the world’s most prestigious football event.
A statement from Football Australia conveyed their decision, saying, “We have reached the conclusion not to do so for the 2034 competition.” The Australian governing body revealed its intention to redirect its efforts toward other equally exciting hosting opportunities, including the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in 2026 and the Club World Cup in 2029.
The 2026 World Cup is already set to be hosted by the North American trio of Canada, Mexico, and the US. Meanwhile, the 2030 World Cup will be jointly hosted by Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, with additional matches to be held in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
Read also: Morocco Announced As Official Host of AFCON 2025
Saudi Arabia has successfully hosted several major international events since 2018, spanning from football competitions to Formula 1 races, golf tournaments, and even high-profile boxing matches.
With Qatar hosting last year one of the most spectacular World Cups to date, the Arab world is increasingly eager to establish itself as a force to reckon with in the footballing world, both in terms of on-the-pitch performances and organizational capabilities.
In the wake of its historic performances at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, Morocco is gearing up to both organize the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and co-host the 2030 World Cup alongside Portugal and Spain.
While Western critics of gulf states like Saudi Arabia and Qatar have raised concerns over “sportswashing,” observers from other parts of the world might positively react to a potential Saudi World Cup four years after the joint — and first-ever — Euro-African FIFA World Cup.
For many football observers and fans, hosting the world’s most prestigious event outside of the Americas or Europe is part of a much-needed, overdue push to end the longstanding hegemony of the European and American continents in the world of football.
