عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Sports

AFC President: Saudi Arabia Capable of Hosting FIFA World Cup at Right Time

President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa delivers a speech during the draw for the AFC Asian Cup in Doha on May 11, 2023. (AFP)
President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa delivers a speech during the draw for the AFC Asian Cup in Doha on May 11, 2023. (AFP)
TT
TT

AFC President: Saudi Arabia Capable of Hosting FIFA World Cup at Right Time

President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa delivers a speech during the draw for the AFC Asian Cup in Doha on May 11, 2023. (AFP)
President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa delivers a speech during the draw for the AFC Asian Cup in Doha on May 11, 2023. (AFP)

President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa said he was confident of Saudi Arabia's ability to host the FIFA World Cup.

He stated that the bid to host the prestigious tournament in Asia has to be submitted at the "right time" in 2030 or 2034.

In remarks to journalists on the sidelines of a visit to Beirut, Al Khalifa said: "Saudi Arabia is coming strong. We are coordinating with the continental federations and FIFA to host the World Cup in 2030 or 2034 in agreement with everyone. When the bid is submitted, we want to ensure it is at least 90 percent successful."

"The Kingdom can host a similar competition, but we have to choose the right time in 2030 or 2034 according to circumstances and chances of success. We, at the Asian Federation, have 47 votes while winning the right to host World Cup requires 110 votes. We need support from other continents," he said.

"We are coordinating the right time to host the tournament either in 2030 or 2034. We are keen on ensuring success for the Saudi bid," Al Khalifa stressed.

Most Viewed

 
 
Sports

Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony: Saudi Team Highlights Cultural Heritage

Saudi athletes wave their country’s flag during the opening parade. (Saudi Olympic Committee)
Saudi athletes wave their country’s flag during the opening parade. (Saudi Olympic Committee)
TT
TT

Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony: Saudi Team Highlights Cultural Heritage

Saudi athletes wave their country’s flag during the opening parade. (Saudi Olympic Committee)
Saudi athletes wave their country’s flag during the opening parade. (Saudi Olympic Committee)

Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and his deputy, Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz, attended the opening ceremony of the 33rd Olympic Games in Paris.

Held outside the traditional stadiums for the first time in history, the ceremony featured a parade of the 206 participating countries on 100 boats traveling approximately 6 kilometers along the Seine River.

The Saudi show jumping team player, Ramzy Al-Duhami, and his colleague, the Saudi Taekwondo champion Dunya Aboutaleb, raised the Saudi flag at the opening of the world’s largest sporting event.

Al-Duhami expressed his pride in raising the Kingdom’s flag alongside his teammate, noting that it was a dream for any Saudi citizen. He wished success for the Saudi athletes in representing Saudi sports with distinction.

Aboutaleb, in turn, said he was honored to carry the Kingdom’s flag at the Olympic Games, stating: “I aspire to perform at a level that reflects the support and attention given to sports in the Kingdom.”

The Saudi athletes’ uniform was admired by the international media and the audience, who applauded the players the moment their boat appeared on the Seine River.

The designs for the opening ceremony were chosen through a national competition organized by the Saudi Arabian Olympic and Paralympic Committee, with the participation of designers from across the Kingdom.

Out of 128 competing designers, the chosen uniform by Saudi designer Alia Al-Salmi featured traditional men’s thobes and bishts and brightly patterned thobe al-nashal for women, symbolizing the athletes’ pride in their homeland and cultural roots.

Mashael Al-Ayed, 17, will be the first Saudi athlete to compete, taking to the pool for the 200 meters freestyle swimming event on July 28. Al-Ayed is the first female swimmer to represent Saudi Arabia at the Olympics.