FIFA Confirms Saudi Arabia As Official Host For The 2034 FIFA World Cup

Saudi Arabia has been chosen to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup. This decision was made after a vote by the FIFA General Assembly, confirming the Kingdom as the official venue for this prestigious event. FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced that national football associations supported Saudi Arabia's bid.

"The 2034 World Cup will be an extraordinary tournament, as it will mark the 100th anniversary of the first FIFA World Cup in 1930," said Infantino. "The 2034 edition will undoubtedly be special, and I am delighted with the unanimous support from all continental federations."

On December 1st, FIFA released the results of its technical evaluation of Saudi Arabia’s bid. The Kingdom achieved a historic high score of 419.8 out of 500. This rating reflects strong support for Saudi Arabia's plans to host the tournament.

The final match of the 2034 World Cup will occur in five Saudi cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, Khobar, Abha, and Neom. Matches are planned across 15 stadiums, with ten new ones being built in these cities. Five existing stadiums in Riyadh and Jeddah will also undergo development.

In July 2023, FIFA shared details about Saudi Arabia's bid for what will be the largest World Cup ever. This tournament will feature 48 teams, marking a first for a single-country host on such a scale. The official bid was submitted to FIFA in Paris.

On October 9th, 2023, the Saudi Football Federation formally submitted their bid to host the World Cup in 2034. By March 1st, 2024, they revealed their official identity for this bid with the slogan "Growing. Together." This included a visual identity and a dedicated website at Saudi2034bid.com.

This decision marks a significant milestone for Saudi Arabia as it prepares to welcome football fans worldwide to celebrate this centennial event in football history.

With inputs from WAM