Saudi Arabia confirm sole hosting of FIFA World Cup 2034, dash India's co-hosting plan

India had previously expressed the desire to co-host at least 10 matches of the FIFA World Cup 2034.

In a decisive move, Yasser Al Misehal, the President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, has unequivocally stated that the FIFA World Cup 2034 will be solely organised by Saudi Arabia. Addressing speculations surrounding the possibility of India co-hosting the event, Al Misehal firmly declared to Associated Press, “It’s going to be Saudi-only,” emphasising the country’s abundant resources with “a lot of cities and a lot of stadiums that we have.”

This declaration comes in response to recent reports suggesting that the All India Football Federation (AIFF) was contemplating hosting a few matches of the prestigious tournament. AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey had reportedly shared this idea with the executive committee, proposing India’s involvement in hosting approximately 10 matches of the 48-team event.

However, with Al Misehal’s resolute affirmation of Saudi Arabia’s solitary hosting aspirations, the likelihood of India’s co-hosting plans seems to have been effectively quashed. The AIFF’s contemplation, as reflected in the draft minutes of the executive committee meeting on November 9, revealed President Chaubey’s proposal for India to consider working towards being a co-host for the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

FIFA had previously restricted the hosting eligibility of the 2034 World Cup to Asia or Oceania after the decision to host the 2030 edition across three continents—Africa, Europe, and South America. While AIFF’s ambitions to contribute to the hosting of the global football spectacle appear to be in alignment with the growing stature of Indian football, Saudi Arabia’s unequivocal commitment to sole hosting has seemingly extinguished those aspirations.

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