Just hours before Fifa’s deadline for expressions of interest on Tuesday, Football Australia declared that Saudi Arabia would host the men’s 2034 World Cup in place of Australia, which had decided to withdraw its application to host the competition.
Right now, the only country to submit a proposal for the tournament is Saudi Arabia.
Football Australia said in a statement, “We have decided not to do so for the 2034 competition.” The way is now open for Saudi Arabia to assume the role of host with this announcement.
The United States, Mexico, and Canada will collaborate to organize the 2026 World Cup, while Morocco, Portugal, and Spain will host the 2030 competition, which will also feature matches in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
An Australian bid would be the main competitor to Saudi Arabia because Fifa has previously said that the 2034 World Cup would be staged in Asia or Oceania. Saudi Arabia announced its intention to submit a bid for the prestigious athletic event shortly after Fifa’s decision.
Since 2018, Saudi Arabia has been the home of a number of important athletic events, including boxing, golf, and Formula 1. The sports minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, emphasized the importance of this choice by saying, “The World Cup bid constitutes an important and natural step in our journey as a country passionate about football.”
In a recent remark, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia did, however, acknowledge the contentious practice of “sportswashing,” stating, “If sportswashing is going to increase my GDP by 1%, then we’ll continue doing sportswashing.”
Source | Marzuuq | Ghana360news.com
