2034 World Cup: Saudi Arabia set to host after Australia does not bid
 

Here we go again ......


Saudi Arabia is set to host the men's 2034 World Cup after Australia decided against bidding to stage the tournament.

Football Australia confirmed its decision only hours before Fifa's deadline for declarations of interest on Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia is the only other nation to bid.

"We have reached the conclusion not to do so for the 2034 competition," read a statement from Football Australia.

The 2026 World Cup will take place in the US, Mexico and Canada.

Morocco, Portugal and Spain will host the 2030 tournament, with matches also in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Fifa had said the 2034 World Cup would be held in Asia or Oceania, and an Australian bid was regarded as the only potential challenger to Saudi Arabia, which announced its intention to bid shortly after Fifa's decision.

Despite receiving support from the Asian Football Confederation, Saudi Arabia would likely be viewed as a controversial host.

It has been criticised for its human rights violations - 81 men were executed on one day last year - women's rights abuses, the criminalisation of homosexuality, the restriction of free speech and the war in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia's international standing was severely damaged by the 2018 killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a US-based Saudi journalist who was a prominent critic of the government.

Human rights campaigners say sport is being used by the Saudi government to detract from long-standing reputation issues, a process known as 'sportswashing'.

Qatar's hosting of the 2022 World Cup drew criticism because of its stance on same-sex relationships, its human rights record and its treatment of migrant workers.

Like last year's tournament, the 2034 edition would almost certainly be held in the winter because of extreme heat in the summer.

Saudi Arabia has hosted several major sporting events since 2018, involving football, Formula 1, golf and boxing.

Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, Saudi Arabia's sports minister, said the World Cup bid "constitutes an important and natural step in our journey as a country passionate about football".

Last month Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said: "If sportswashing is going to increase my GDP by 1%, then we'll continue doing sportswashing."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67271423

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They're even stricter on booze than Qatar, don't think it's legal anywhere at all

it's allowed in compounds owned by companies, but your average fan won't have access to that. I don't see many women fans travelling there either

The commentators will no doubt be tying themselves in knots again

:clap1: :clap1: :clap1: :clap1:


a world cup in my fave middle eastern nation, YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS :cheer2: :cheer2:


a historic moment :love: please let legends Sami Al-Jaber and Mohammed Al-Daeyea be the ambassadors to this world cup then :fc:

even more good news


alcohol only ruins things



no alcohol, no fun, no fun means no chance of riots, i'd also advise the Saudi's to put military security on the streets for extra precautionary measures against any possible terror attack, also drone surveillance in suspicious areas but tbh i trust the Saudi's, Qatar also did fab on that extra security with their superb world cup hosting job

It’s obvious that the Aussie representatives have all taken huge bribes ..


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so another winter world cup

Yay! The 2034 Club Football season is going to be impacted, how fantastic for Football to have that happening again.

Oh and whoever wins the World Cup having their win overshadowed by Club Football returning a week later.

wish Club Football would go extinct anyway



look at how many people are triggered by the Saudi's :hehe: fully deserved anyway the best nation of the AFC getting to host a world cup :love: :love:

also as if the Saudi's are against women?


decades ago maybe, but recent times, they are allowed much more again, and recently too they are very open minded towards the music and cinema industry



also not all women have to wear hijabs, just those whose religion is the Islam of course


i have complete faith in them, also in the King Fahd stadium, whew their late king will be looking proudly from above :bawling:

Birmingham were going to win league 2 that season too :fist:

Give me even Wayne Rooney's car wreckage at Blues over England facing 12 men nearly every World Cup, plus playing incredibly boring Football.

That's generous.:joker: