Fifa already confirmed over a year ago that the joint proposal led by Morocco, Spain and Portugal was the sole contender for 2030
sports2 days ago
Fireworks and drones depicting the iconic golden World Cup trophy lit up the sky in Saudi Arabia's capital on Wednesday after Fifa confirmed the Gulf kingdom would play host to the tournament in 2034.
While the news was hardly a surprise, with Saudi Arabia emerging as the sole candidate last year, officials took advantage of the formal announcement to stage celebrations hailing their bid's success.
On the streets of Riyadh, Saudis voiced pride in their country's newfound sporting glory.
"Welcoming the World 2034" was projected in Arabic on the side of one skyscraper, while on the city's busy Tahliah Street lampposts were hung with the green, sword-emblazoned Saudi flag.
"I used to dream of attending the World Cup, but the logistics were always an obstacle. Now the dream has come true with the World Cup being organised in Saudi Arabia," 44-year-old civil servant Abdulrahman al-Shehri told AFP.
"I will plan to watch most of the matches from the stadium. The tournament is close to home now."
Khaled al-Azza, 35, said it was not long ago that such a notion seemed far-fetched.
Now, however, "there is nothing impossible for Saudis", he said.
Sports are a major component of the Vision 2030 reform agenda overseen by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which aims to diversify the economy of the world's top crude oil exporter.
On Wednesday, Prince Mohammed "stressed the Kingdom's great determination to contribute effectively to developing the game of football around the world, and spreading messages of love, peace and tolerance," the official Saudi Press Agency said.
"Hosting the Fifa World Cup 2034 represents an important opportunity to highlight the continuous progress that the Kingdom has been experiencing," the agency said.
In a message broadcast on the state-affiliated Al-Ekhbariya channel, Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal said Saudi Arabia was "opening up to the world" and could help football grow globally.
"Working with Fifa and all member associations, we want to share this journey, create new opportunities for growth and reach new audiences in new ways," he said.
With a campaign entitled “Growing. Together.” Saudi Arabia submitted its official bid book for the 2034 Fifa World Cup in July 2024, blueprinting its plan for hosting the tournament.
The bid book unveiled the Kingdom’s ambitions to hold the World Cup across five host cities – Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Abha, and NEOM – and in 15 state-of-the art stadiums.
The centerpiece of those will be the new King Salman International Stadium in Riyadh, which will host the opening match as well as the final and will become home to the Saudi National Football Team.
Ten Fifa Fan Festival sites are proposed, including one at King Salman Park in Riyadh, built over 100,000 square meters, and another planned along the iconic Jeddah Waterfront.
The compact tournament concept will enable an exceptional experience for players, fans, and officials alike, with outstanding facilities and accommodations to suit every budget – all with short travel times via well-connected transport links.
There is less than a two-hour average flight time between the five host cities and visitors to the Kingdom will also benefit from a seamless immigration process.
Fans will also have the chance to explore some of the Kingdom’s eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites, as well as appreciate distinctive architecture, delicious food, a vibrant art scene, live music events, and ‘hafawah’ – warm Saudi hospitality.
But hosting an even as big the Fifa World Cup has its own unique challenges.
Ziad bin Nahit, 48, said he expected the task would be even more difficult than that faced by neighbouring Qatar, host of the 2022 World Cup.
But Saudis were up to the challenge, he added.
"We are not only talking about the World Cup. We are talking about organising Expo 2030. We are talking about hosting other global sporting events," he said.
"It is a matter of pride."
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