FIFA has officially unveiled Saudi Arabia as the sole host for the 2034 World Cup, while the 2030 edition of the tournament will mainly be hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
Saudi Arabia Announced As 2034 FIFA World Cup Hosts
The 2034 World Cup will be held in Saudi Arabia following confirmation at an online meeting between the 211 member associations of FIFA on Wednesday afternoon.
Member associations voted by ‘acclamation’, rather than a traditional vote, clapping in front of their cameras during the meeting led by FIFA president Gianni Infantino as the Middle Eastern nation’s bid went unopposed.
Saudi Arabia was the sole bidder for the 2034 edition of the competition, with games set to be played in 15 state-of-the-art stadiums across the five cities of Abha, Jeddah, Khobar, Neom and Riyadh.
The King Salman Stadium in Riyadh is expected to host the opening match, as well as the final, and the tournament will likely be held in the winter, similarly to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Their proposal includes the construction of eight brand new stadiums, each with a minimum capacity of 45,000, while there are also plans to add over 175,000 hotel rooms in preparation for the tournament.
In addition to the World Cup, Saudi Arabia will host the 2027 Asian Cup, the 2029 Asian Winter Games and the 2034 Asian Games, prompting accusations of ‘sportswashing’ from critics and activist groups.
2030 World Cup Hosted In Spain, Portugal and Morocco
Meanwhile, for the 2030 World Cup, Spain, Portugal and Morocco have been confirmed as the main hosts, whilst Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will host a match each to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the competition.
Uruguay will host the opener, alongside a special centenary celebration, at the Estadio Centenario in Montevideo, with the second game being held in Buenos Aires, Argentina and the third in Asuncion, Paraguay.
The remaining games will all be held in Spain, Morocco and Portugal, with the likes of the Camp Nou and the Santiago Bernabeu among the 20 stadiums listed as candidates to host matches.
Introducing the hosts for the next two editions of the @FIFAWorldCup! 🏆
Morocco, Portugal and Spain will host in 2030, with centenary celebration matches in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Four years later, Saudi Arabia will host the FIFA World Cup 2034™. pic.twitter.com/WdOEdNEVxH
— FIFA (@FIFAcom) December 11, 2024
