By Adedapo Adesanya
Saudi Arabia has been confirmed as the host nation for the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
Also confirmed were the hosts for the 2030 World Cup, which was awarded to six countries and will take place across three continents to celebrate 100 years of the tournament.
Saudi Arabia was the sole bidder for the 2034 competition. Its host status was confirmed on Wednesday after an online meeting of the 211 members of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA).
The members confirmed the unchallenged bids by acclamation – simply clapping during the virtual meeting led by FIFA president, Mr Gianni Infantino.
As well as the World Cup, Saudi Arabia is hosting football’s 2027 Asian Cup, the 2029 Asian Winter Games and the 2034 Asian Games. It also has long-term ambitions to host more major events, including the Women’s World Cup.
The 2030 tournament will be led by co-hosts Spain and Portugal in Europe, and Morocco in North Africa. Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina will each hold an opening match to mark 100 years since the first World Cup took place in Uruguay in 1930, a tournament that the South American nation won.
The next World Cup in 2026 will be co-hosted by three proximal nations in North America— the US, Canada, and Mexico.
Saudi Arabia first published its bid for the World Cup back in August 2024 after FIFA controversially fast-tracked the process for hosting the tournaments in 2030 and 2034.
The bid for the 2034 tournament has led to criticism from activist groups, who argue that Saudi laws will not protect workers overseas.
Some of the issues echoed that of the 2022 tournament held in Qatar.
The tournament will require the construction of eight new stadiums, for a total of 15 hosting venues, plus the addition of 175,000 hotel rooms, which will rely heavily on migrant labour.
Critics of FIFA also insist a Saudi-based World Cup risks a repeat of the rights abuses seen during a decade of similar preparations for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
FIFA previously praised the Saudi bid in an in-house evaluation, noting that the 48-team, 104-game tournament offers “significant opportunities for positive human rights impact”.
However, it added that Saudi Arabia must invest “significant effort and time” to comply with international standards.