Saudi Arabia All But Seals 2034 FIFA World Cup Hosting Rights After Only Rivals Pull Out on Deadline Day

Saudi Arabia’s ambition to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup is the latest step in the campaign to turn the kingdom into a global sports powerhouse. Surprisingly, the Gulf country has become the prime contender to host the 2034 FIFA WC, as their only bidding rivals have officially withdrawn their name. This significant development has bolstered their prospect of becoming the host nation for the prestigious tournament.

The deadline day to submit a bid to host the FIFA World Cup campaign is October 31, 2023. As soon as Saudi Arabia got to know about their rivals pulling out of the contention, the Gulf nation swooped in to become the commanding nation.

Saudi Arabia edges closer to securing the FIFA World Cup hosting rights

The race to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup has taken an unexpected turn. Australia, who hosted the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, was considered a strong contender. But in an official statement, FA Australia stated that they are withdrawing their bid to host the tournament. Interestingly, Australia released their decision to pull out of the race on the deadline day. This pivotal decision has strengthened Saudi Arabia’s prospects of hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

Australia’s announcement to refrain from bidding comes as a shock to many. Speculations grew about the possibility of a joint bid with Indonesia. However, Football Australia opted to step back after citing a thorough consideration of all the major factors. “We have explored the opportunity to bid to host the FIFA World Cup and – having taken all factors into consideration – we concluded not to do so for the 2034 competition,” Football Australia said in an official statement.

FIFA has already designated Morocco, Spain, and Portugal as joint hosts for the 2030 FIFA World Cup. The organization opened the doors for bidding from Asia and Oceania regions for the next campaign. While Australia seemed like a strong contender to bid, the support from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for Saudi Arabia became integral. The president of the AFC expressed his support for Saudi Arabia’s bid by saying that “the entire Asian football family” is behind the Kingdom’s bid.

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Saudi Arabia’s pursuit of hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup is just one facet of the nation’s broader strategy to become a global sports powerhouse.

Saudi Arabia aims to become a global sports powerhouse

The Gulf nation’s bid seems pretty formidable as it has the backing of over 100 of FIFA’s 211 member nations. With the host nation set to be determined by voting next year, it will be interesting to see if another contender emerges before the deadline.

Saudi Arabia has been investing heavily in sports in recent years, hosting major international sporting events, such as the Formula 1 Grand Prix, UFC Championship, and of course the star-studded Saudi Pro League. It is also home to the LIV Golf International Series, which has attracted some of the world’s top golf players.

As the spotlight now firmly shines on Saudi Arabia, the race to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup will surely captivate soccer enthusiasts worldwide.

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