عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Sports

Asian Football Confederation Welcomes Saudi Arabia's Bid for World Cup 2034

Asian Football Confederation Welcomes Saudi Arabia' Bid (AFC)
Asian Football Confederation Welcomes Saudi Arabia' Bid (AFC)
TT
TT

Asian Football Confederation Welcomes Saudi Arabia's Bid for World Cup 2034

Asian Football Confederation Welcomes Saudi Arabia' Bid (AFC)
Asian Football Confederation Welcomes Saudi Arabia' Bid (AFC)

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) welcomed the Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s bid to host the FIFA World Cup 2034, expressing its support for the Kingdom's momentous initiative.

The AFC President, Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, expressed his delight that the SAFF has presented their intention to bid for the FIFA World Cup in 2034.

"The AFC endorses the FIFA World Cup hosting decisions taken by the FIFA Council as we strongly believe it paves the way for a more equitable opportunity for all Confederations to bid for, and host, the prestigious FIFA World Cup – the pinnacle of world men's football," said the AFC President.

He noted that the Asian football family will stand united in support of Saudi Arabia's momentous initiative and is committed to working closely with the global football family to ensure its success.

Saudi Arabia will be hosting the AFC Asian Cup in 2027, and this will be a historic first for them, he noted.

"We have full confidence that the SAFF will deliver an extraordinary AFC Asian Cup and carry this same belief into delivering an unforgettable FIFA World Cup, offering an excellent opportunity to football fans from across the world to experience a unique and spectacular celebration of the beautiful game."

Following FIFA's decisions to revise the hosting mechanism of the FIFA World Cup, Asia will have the opportunity to host the football world's premier competition in 2034 for only the third time in its history, after the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea Republic/Japan and FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia announced its intention to bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.

The bid intends to deliver a world-class tournament and will draw inspiration from Saudi Arabia's ongoing social and economic transformation and the country's deep-rooted passion for football.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman emphasized that Saudi Arabia's desire to bid for the 2034 FIFA World Cup reflects the country's progress in all sectors.

The Kingdom has quickly emerged as a leading hub and an international destination for hosting major events thanks to its rich cultural heritage, economic strength, and the ambition of its people.

Most Viewed

 
 
Sports

Brazil's Botafogo Advances to its 1st Copa Libertadores Final

John (C) from Botafogo saves a ball in the Copa Libertadores semifinals soccer match between Penarol and Botafogo in Montevideo, Uruguay, 30 October 2024. EPA/RAUL MARTINEZ
John (C) from Botafogo saves a ball in the Copa Libertadores semifinals soccer match between Penarol and Botafogo in Montevideo, Uruguay, 30 October 2024. EPA/RAUL MARTINEZ
TT
TT

Brazil's Botafogo Advances to its 1st Copa Libertadores Final

John (C) from Botafogo saves a ball in the Copa Libertadores semifinals soccer match between Penarol and Botafogo in Montevideo, Uruguay, 30 October 2024. EPA/RAUL MARTINEZ
John (C) from Botafogo saves a ball in the Copa Libertadores semifinals soccer match between Penarol and Botafogo in Montevideo, Uruguay, 30 October 2024. EPA/RAUL MARTINEZ

Brazil’s Botafogo advanced to its first Copa Libertadores final on Wednesday despite a 3-1 loss at Uruguay's Penarol. The Rio de Janeiro side had won the first leg of its semifinal 5-0.
Botafogo's rival in the Nov. 30 decider in Buenos Aires will be fellow Brazilian side Atletico Mineiro, which reached the final after a 0-0 draw at Argentina’s River Plate on Tuesday and after a 3-0 win in the first leg.
Botafogo rested many of its starters because of the big advantage, including national team strikers Luiz Henrique and Igor Jesus, The Associated Press reported.
Jaime Báez scored Penarol's first two goals. The first came from long distance in the 31st minute and the second in the 66th from the edge of the box. By then, the hosts were one man down due to an unusual red card.
Goalkeeper Washington Aguerre was sent off during the break after intentionally stepping on the foot of Botafogo goalie John. Botafogo lost a player in the 69th minute when Mateo Ponte received his second yellow only seconds after he got his first.
World Cup champion Thiago Almada was brought in by Botafogo in the second half and scored for the visiting team from close range in the 88th minute. One minute later, also from close range, Penarol's Facundo Batista netted the third goal for the Uruguayan team.
Brazilian teams have won the tournament for the past five years. The final will be played at the Monumental de Nunez Stadium in Buenos Aires.
Atletico’s win on Tuesday also affected the race to be the last South American qualifier for the 2025 Club World Cup, as it eliminated Olimpia of Paraguay from contention.
Olimpia would have advanced to the 32-team tournament in the United States had River Plate won this Copa Libertadores edition. River Plate already qualified based on its consistent results in the continental competition across four seasons.
FIFA will make the draw for the June 15-July 13 tournament on a date in early December it has not yet confirmed.
Also on Wednesday, Brazil's Cruzeiro advanced to the Copa Sudamericana final with a 1-0 win at Argentina's Lanus. Their first leg ended 1-1 last week.
Cruzeiro could face another Brazilian team in the decider of South America's second most prestigious club tournament.
Corinthians, the club of Dutch striker Memphis Depay, will take on Argentina's Racing in Buenos Aires on Thursday. Their first leg in Sao Paulo finished 2-2.