Saudi Arabia confirmed as the host of the 2034 World Cup

The president of the International Football Association Federation (FIFA), Gianni Infantino, confirmed that the 2034 World Cup will be held in Saudi Arabia, following the Australian federation's withdrawal from the bid.

On his Instagram account, Infantino explained that this edition of the tournament would be held in Asia or Oceania, but the official withdrawal of the Australian federation left Saudi Arabia as the only country willing to take on the responsibility of organizing the biggest sporting event at the national team level.

"The candidacy processes were approved by consensus through the FIFA Council - where the six confederations are represented - following constructive dialogue and extensive consultations. Thank you to everyone who participated in this positive exchange," he stated.

FIFA had restricted the bids for the 2034 edition to countries from the Asian and Oceanian confederations following the confirmation of the bid from Spain, Morocco, and Portugal for 2030, which will also include inaugural matches in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay.

This decision by FIFA, which was initially aimed at ensuring rotation in the selection of hosts, was enthusiastically welcomed by Saudi Arabia.

Despite its initial intention to compete for the 2030 World Cup, that country chose to postpone its bid for the 2034 tournament. 

Australia argued in its bid that its time zones would provide significant opportunities for broadcasting rights holders, as they are within reach of billions of people in Asia and Oceania, generating strong commercial interest in the tournament.

Despite not hosting the 2034 World Cup, Australia plans to hold the Women's Asian Cup in 2026 and the Club World Cup in 2029, marking a significant period for Australian football.

Saudi Arabia's decision to host the 2034 World Cup adds to its efforts in the footballing sphere in recent years, both at the national team and club levels.

With this selection, the 2034 World Cup will be the second to take place in Asia since 2022, and the second in the last four editions of the tournament. It is expected that, similar to Qatar, the tournament will be held in the winter months due to the specific climatic conditions of summer in this region of the world.