Asia or Oceania to host FIFA World Cup 2034

Published at :October 5, 2023 at 5:16 AM

Modified at :October 5, 2023 at 5:01 AM

Saudi Arabia are in the race to host the FIFA World Cup 2034

FIFA announced that the FIFA World Cup 2034 will be hosted in Asia or Oceania. Portugal, Spain and Morocco won the bid for the 2030 World Cup.

The USA and Canada will be hosting the next World Cup. The 2026 World Cup, which will feature 48 teams, will be hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Saudi Arabia announced that they will bid to host the 2034 World Cup just minutes after FIFA invited countries from these two regions to submit bids.

"Led by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), the bid for 2034 intends to deliver a world-class tournament and will draw inspiration from Saudi Arabia's ongoing social and economic transformation and the country's deep-rooted passion for football," Saudi FA said in a statement.

"Saudi Arabia’s inaugural FIFA World Cup bid is backed by the country’s growing experience of hosting world-class football events and its ongoing plans to welcome fans across the world to the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup and 2027 AFC Asian Cup."

In a statement released by the Saudi Press Agency, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said, “the intention to host comes as an affirmation of the clear and great efforts made by the Kingdom in spreading messages of peace and love in the world, of which sports is one of the most important and prominent aspects, as it is an important means for peoples of different races and cultures to meet.”

Spain, Portugal and Morocco are on course to co-host the 2030 edition of the men's tournament, with three South American nations Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay, staging the opening matches to mark the 100 years of the tournament.