Saudi Arabia Officially Submits Bid to Host the FIFA World Cup 2034

Saudi Arabia submitted on Monday its official bid to FIFA to host the FIFA World Cup 2034 at a ceremony hosted by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) in Paris, France.

The bid book was submitted by an official delegation led by Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal Minister of Sport and President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) President, Yasser Al-Misehal, and two young talents from the regional training centers affiliated with SAFF.

The Saudi bid to host the World Cup 2034 is a significant milestone, made possible thanks to the empowerment by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and the unwavering support provided by Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. The bid reflects the Kingdom’s continuous efforts to achieve the sports objectives of Vision 2030 and the ambitions and aspirations of the Saudi people.

Prince Abdulaziz said: “I extend my sincerest gratitude to our visionary leadership that has enabled us to reach this milestone in the history of Saudi sports. I also express my profound thanks to the Crown Prince and Prime Minister for his unwavering support for the development of the sports sector.”

“Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the World Cup 2034 is a bid for the future. The Kingdom aims to host the most important event in the world of football, which would reaffirm its influential position on the global stage across various fields, including sports,” he added.

“The involvement of two children submitting the bid embodies the significant contributions of the youth of this great nation; youth are our largest population segment. With their passion and outstanding talent in various fields, including football, our youth are the key to achieving the Kingdom's future ambitions,” he stressed.

“Their involvement sends a powerful message, reflecting the dreams and aspirations of our youth to participate in a World Cup on our home soil, to help organize the tournament, or to support the Kingdom's efforts in welcoming the world.”

Al-Misehal said: “Our bid campaign marks our firm commitment to hosting the world’s greatest football tournament, and a deep desire to advance sport and the quality of life for our people. Our country’s love of football is rooted in history, and we want to showcase to FIFA how we will harness this enthusiasm not just in 2034 – but for generations to come.”

“We want to create an enduring legacy to help push Saudi Arabia’s transformation to new heights,” he added.

Including the two young talents as part of the official Saudi delegation to submit the bid book is an initiative led by SAFF. This aligns with the projected growth of Saudi football over the next ten years and reflects the aspirations and ambitions of the Saudi people, as well as their passion for hosting an exceptional edition of the World Cup.

The submission of the bid book to FIFA marks the third stage in the official bid process to secure hosting rights for the 2034 tournament. Saudi Arabia, through SAFF, announced its intention to bid for the World Cup 2034 on October 4, 2023, as the sole nation in the race to host this edition of the global sporting event.

This was followed by Saudi Arabia’s official bid campaign reveal. The current submission of the bid book underscores the Kingdom's commitment and determination to host the event.

The next stages will include official visits by FIFA and a comprehensive evaluation of the bid, leading up to the selection of the host nation for the World Cup 2034 on December 11.

Aryna Sabalenka says she has written to Coco Gauff to apologize for the “unprofessional” comments she made following her loss to her American rival in the final of the French Open.

Speaking to Eurosport Germany, the top-ranked Sabalenka said her remarks after her 6-7 (5), 6-2, 6-4 loss to Gauff at Roland-Garros this month were a mistake. In her post-match press conference in Paris, Sabalenka had suggested that the result was more due to her own errors than to Gauff's performance.

“That was just completely unprofessional of me,” Sabalenka said. “I let my emotions get the better of me. I absolutely regret what I said back then. You know, we all make mistakes. I’m just a human being who’s still learning in life. I think we all have those days when we lose control. But what I also want to say is that I wrote to Coco afterward — not immediately, but recently.”

Sabalenka hit 37 winners but finished the final with 70 unforced errors, compared to Gauff’s 30.

She said she wrote to Gauff to apologize and “make sure she knew she absolutely deserved to win the tournament and that I respect her.”

“I never intended to attack her,” Sabalanka added. “I was super emotional and not very smart at that press conference. I’m not necessarily grateful for what I did. It took me a while to go back and think about it, to approach it with open eyes, and to understand. I realized a lot about myself. Why did I lose so many finals?”

Sabalenka, a three-time major champion, also lost to Gauff in the 2023 US Open final, where she also won the first set.

“I kept getting so emotional,” Sabalenka added. “So I learned a lot. Above all, one thing: I’m the one who always treats my opponents with great respect, whether I win or lose. Without that respect, I wouldn’t be where I am today. So it was a tough, but very valuable lesson for me.”

Saudi Arabia Officially Submits Bid to Host the FIFA World Cup 2034