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 World Cup 2034. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia submitted on Monday its official bid to FIFA to host the World Cup 2034. (SPA)
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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 World Cup 2034. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia submitted on Monday its official bid to FIFA to host the World Cup 2034. (SPA)

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.



Madrid Needs Epic Champions League Comeback. Barca and PSG Are Flying Post-Messi and Mbappe 

Football - LaLiga - Deportivo Alaves v Real Madrid - Estadio Mendizorroza, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain - April 13, 2025 Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe during the warm up before the match. (Reuters)
Football - LaLiga - Deportivo Alaves v Real Madrid - Estadio Mendizorroza, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain - April 13, 2025 Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe during the warm up before the match. (Reuters)
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Madrid Needs Epic Champions League Comeback. Barca and PSG Are Flying Post-Messi and Mbappe 

Football - LaLiga - Deportivo Alaves v Real Madrid - Estadio Mendizorroza, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain - April 13, 2025 Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe during the warm up before the match. (Reuters)
Football - LaLiga - Deportivo Alaves v Real Madrid - Estadio Mendizorroza, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain - April 13, 2025 Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe during the warm up before the match. (Reuters)

Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal hold such commanding leads in their Champions League quarterfinal matches that a place in the last four looks all but certain.

Don’t be so sure.

European club soccer’s most prestigious competition has a habit of upsetting the odds.

Barcelona and PSG have very recent memories of how quickly things can change.

Barcelona was 4-2 up on aggregate against PSG early in the second leg of last year’s quarterfinals - only to lose 6-4.

In 2017 PSG led 4-0 after the first leg of a round of 16 game between the two in Paris, but famously lost 6-1 at Camp Nou.

Part of what makes the Champions League such compelling viewing is the fragility of even the most commanding leads.

Liverpool trailed AC Milan 3-0 at halftime of the final of 2005 before staging a dramatic fightback and going on to win in a penalty shootout. The Merseyside club stunned Barcelona on its way to the title in 2019 when overturning a 3-0 loss in the first leg of the semifinals by winning the return leg 4-0.

There are many more examples of how the tables can be turned when Europe’s elite go head-to-head, which is why nothing can be taken for granted ahead of this week’s second leg matches.

Real trouble

Record 15-time winner and defending champion Real Madrid will have to produce another of its famous comebacks to overturn a 3-0 first leg loss to Arsenal.

If anyone can, Madrid can - but it goes into Wednesday’s game at the Bernabeu after a run of unconvincing results. Carlo Ancelotti’s team has only won one of its last four games in all competitions - Sunday’s 1-0 victory against Alaves.

The defeat to Arsenal could have been even heavier after being dominated at the Emirates Stadium and came after Madrid needed a penalty shootout to overcome Atletico Madrid in the round of 16.

But Madrid’s history is built on producing special performances in Europe. Its run to the title in 2022 was filled with dramatic comebacks - none more so than the semifinals win against Manchester City when trailing 5-3 on aggregate going into the 90th minute of the second leg.

Madrid simply never knows when it is beaten.

Europe’s finest?

This could be the first great Barcelona team of the post-Lionel Messi era.

Top of the Spanish league and on the verge of the Champions League semifinals, Barcelona looks like the team to beat in this year’s competition.

Leading 4-0 against Borussia Dortmund, it would take the unlikeliest of collapses in Germany on Tuesday to prevent Hansi Flick’s team from booking its place in the semifinals.

With the devastating goal-scoring power of Robert Lewandowski and the individual brilliance of Raphinha and Lamine Yamal, this looks like Barcelona’s best team since the days of Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez and its best chance in a long time of winning its first Champions League title since 2015.

A new era

The post-Kylian Mbappe era is going just fine for PSG. A record-extending 13th French league title has already been sealed and there have been standout performances in the Champions League.

After struggling early on in the tournament, wins against Manchester City and Liverpool have underlined PSG’s progress under Luis Enrique this season, with an exciting young team that is full of flair.

While less reliant on the individual brilliance of long-time talisman Mbappe, PSG has been driven by the outstanding form of Ousmane Dembele, who is realizing the potential that convinced Barcelona to pay up to 147 million euros (then $173 million) when signing him from Dortmund in 2017. A run of 24 goals in 18 games between December and March established him as one of the deadliest forwards in Europe.

Leading 3-1 against Aston Villa after the first leg of their quarterfinal, PSG looks in control, but has so often failed to live up to expectations in this competition.

Dark horse

Inter Milan leads Bayern Munich 2-1 in the closest match of the quarterfinals.

Davide Frattesi’s 88th-minute winner in Munich gave the 2023 finalist the advantage heading into the second leg at the San Siro.

Bayern, under Vincent Kompany, cruised to the quarterfinals and looks like regaining the German league title this season.

Inter could be the dark horse of this year’s competition, having come so close to stopping City’s treble of trophies two years ago.