Football
Saudi Arabia to Host 2034 World Cup After Submitting the Only Bid
by privatebet.com - 2023/11/01
After months of speculations that Saudi Arabia would host the World Cup, rumors have finally been confirmed. The Middle Eastern country will most likely be selected as the host of the 2034 FIFA World Cup, after submitting the only bid before FIFA’s deadline. FIFA set an October 31, 2023 deadline to submit a bid to host the tournament, but only two nations emerged as potential hosts. Saudi Arabia was the last one standing after the Australian Football Federation decided to pull out last minute. This decision cements Saudi Arabia’s ambitious attempts to become a major player in global sports. In addition to attracting several major football players with lucrative deals, Saudi Arabia will also be in charge of hosting the upcoming 2023 FIFA Club World Cup and the 2027 Asian Cup. FIFA’s decision to let Saudi Arabia host the 2034 FIFA World Cup has already caused controversy, with both Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International speaking against it. "FIFA must now make clear how it expects hosts to comply with its human rights policies. It must also be prepared to halt the bidding process if serious human rights risks are not credibly addressed," said Steve Cockburn, Amnesty's head of economic and social justice.