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FIFA Publishes Saudi Arabia’s Official World Cup 2034 Bid Book

FIFA Publishes Saudi Arabia’s Official World Cup 2034 Bid Book
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FIFA Publishes Saudi Arabia’s Official World Cup 2034 Bid Book

FIFA Publishes Saudi Arabia’s Official World Cup 2034 Bid Book

FIFA unveiled on Wednesday details of Saudi Arabia's ambitious bid to host the largest-ever edition of the FIFA World Cup held in a single country.

The announcement follows Saudi Arabia’s FIFA World Cup 2034 official bid book submission at an official FIFA ceremony held in Paris, France.

The official bid slogan, titled “Growing. Together” has received full support from Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

The official bid book outlines Saudi Arabia’s extensive plans and infrastructure projects and reflects the Kingdom's historic transformation. It provides the Kingdom’s plan to successfully stage one of the world's largest and most important sporting events, the FIFA World Cup.

On the occasion of the publication, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal Al Saud, Minister of Sport and President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, expressed his appreciation to the leadership for their unlimited support of the Kingdom’s sports sector, and to the Crown Prince for his continuous guidance and significant empowerment over Saudi Arabia's official World Cup bid.

“Together, we are working towards materializing Saudi Arabia's dream of hosting the World Cup into a tangible reality – as outlined within our official bid book,” he said.

“These plans will combine our rich football heritage with our deep passion for the game and will ensure Saudi Arabia’s success as the first nation to host a 48-team tournament in one country,” he added.

President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) Yasser Al-Misehal described the submission of the formal bid book and the unveiling of the Kingdom's plans to host the world's most important football tournament as a significant historical moment for Saudi Arabia.

It is a moment that marks the natural step in the journey of developing Saudi Arabia's football and sports sectors.

He expressed hope that the Kingdom's comprehensive plans to host the World Cup would excite football fans worldwide and inspire them for generations to come.

An official SAFF delegation led by Prince Abdulaziz officially submitted the formal bid book at a FIFA ceremony held in Paris on Monday. It was a significant step that underscores Saudi Arabia's strong desire to contribute to the development and growth of football, and invite fans from around the world to participate in writing the success story of this event.

The formal bid book outlines five proposed host cities for the FIFA World Cup 2034: Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Abha, and NEOM – one of the Kingdom's most significant future city projects globally.

The five host cities will feature 15 advanced stadiums, including 11 new, planned stadiums. Riyadh will be home to eight stadiums for the matches, including the new King Salman Stadium, which will accommodate over 92,000 spectators and is set to host the opening and final matches of the tournament. It will become the new home ground for the Saudi national team.

The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium in Riyadh will be a remarkable architectural marvel with triple-tiered stands and a stunning view of one of the Tuwaiq cliffs. The stadium will feature an innovative, futuristic design, with most of its exterior facades covered in colored glass and LED screens.

Riyadh will also include the famed King Fahad Sports City Stadium, which is set to be refurbished to the highest global standards. The stadium is expected to accommodate over 70,000 spectators.

In Jeddah, the new Jeddah Central Development Stadium will feature an architectural design inspired by the area’s rich, local heritage and traditional wooden architecture from the historic Jeddah Al-Balad area. Meanwhile, the coastal King Abdullah Sports City Stadium will feature a natural design inspired by the stunning coral reefs of the Red Sea – adequately meeting the needs of the vibrant coastal community.

In Al Khobar, the Aramco Stadium will be situated on the Arabian Gulf coast and will feature a dynamic design that is inspired by the sea – symbolizing the “dawwama” whirlpools that appear off the coast during the warm summer months. From a design perspective, the stadium will include interlocking sails and decorations that mimic natural wave patterns, in harmony with the coastal environment.

In Abha, King Khalid University Stadium – currently used by the university – will undergo a temporary expansion that will increase its capacity to over 45,000 spectators during the tournament. The renovation will modernize the stadium’s existing infrastructure and will ensure its long-term sustainable legacy.

NEOM Stadium is expected to be one of the most distinctive, and iconic stadiums in the world. The stadium will be situated within THE LINE – more than 350 meters above ground. It will provide an unprecedented and exceptional experience for fans scheduled to attend tournament matches. The stadium will be run entirely on renewable energy, generated primarily from wind and solar sources, marking a historic shift in stadium design, globally.

Leveraging the Kingdom's diverse and picturesque geography, the hosting plan includes 10 other host locations that are scheduled to be the home of some of the training camps for participating teams before and during the tournament. These cities are known for their iconic tourist attractions, which will provide participating teams and fans an opportunity to explore the Kingdom's ancient cultural heritage during the tournament.

Saudi Arabia will have more than 230,000 rooms, available across the five host cities, in alignment with FIFA requirements. These rooms will cater to VIPs, FIFA delegations, participating teams, media personnel, and tournament fans.

A total of 132 training venues located across 15 cities are proposed as base camp for the 48 teams, including 72 stadiums designated for Base Camp Training Sites, with referees scheduled to have access to two Referee Base Camp Training Sites.

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Mexico, Korea Eye World Cup Knockout Berths

The build-up to co-hosts Mexico's clash with South Korea has seen shrouded with intrigue, with a mystery drone spotted over Korea's training ground. CARL DE SOUZA / AFP
The build-up to co-hosts Mexico's clash with South Korea has seen shrouded with intrigue, with a mystery drone spotted over Korea's training ground. CARL DE SOUZA / AFP
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Mexico, Korea Eye World Cup Knockout Berths

The build-up to co-hosts Mexico's clash with South Korea has seen shrouded with intrigue, with a mystery drone spotted over Korea's training ground. CARL DE SOUZA / AFP
The build-up to co-hosts Mexico's clash with South Korea has seen shrouded with intrigue, with a mystery drone spotted over Korea's training ground. CARL DE SOUZA / AFP

Mexico and South Korea will aim to punch their ticket to the World Cup knockout rounds on Thursday when they meet in Guadalajara knowing a win would guarantee a last 32 berth.

The Group A rivals head into the fixture at the Estadio Akron fresh from respective victories over South Africa and the Czech Republic in their opening games last week, said AFP.

The expanded 48-team format for this year's World Cup -- and the fact that the eight best-ranked third-placed teams will advance from the group stage -- means that a win for either Mexico or South Korea would see them advance.

Co-hosts Mexico eased past a poor South Africa in their opening game last week but are bracing for a significantly tougher test against a South Korean side studded with quality.

"We have to be very wary of the opponents' attacking transitions," Mexico coach Javier Aguirre said.

"When we are attacking, we can't let our guard down; if there are two Koreans up front, there need to be three Mexicans."

The build-up to Thursday's game has seen shrouded with intrigue, with a mystery drone spotted over South Korea's training ground on Tuesday.

Yonhap news agency reported that a South Korea team security officer spotted the device, and a Mexican military drone-interdiction specialist stationed at the training camp brought it down by emitting radio signals.

Two men who were suspected to be the drone operators retrieved the crashed device and fled the scene in an incident which South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo described as "unfortunate" but insisted "did not impact us significantly."

Hostile atmosphere

Hong meanwhile is preparing his team for an intimidating atmosphere against the hosts on Thursday.

"We fully understand that it's going to be a match with the home team, and we know that that's going to give benefits to the home team," Hong said.

"But my players have experienced such matches before, so it will be different tomorrow, and we need to control the rhythm and the flow of the match."

In other games on Thursday, Switzerland will look to bounce back from their disappointing opening Group B draw with Qatar when they take on Bosnia-Herzegovina, while co-hosts Canada face the Qataris in Vancouver.

Bosnia coach Sergej Barbarez is eyeing another upset, urging his team to summon the spirit of their qualifying campaign, when they knocked out Italy during the playoffs.

Barbarez brushed off suggestions that Switzerland would expect to beat a team ranked 44 places below them by FIFA.

"Everyone has the right to their own opinion and show their confidence," the coach said.

"When we were playing against Italy in the playoffs, we had a similar sort of sentiment publicly, but we stayed focused on ourselves," he added.

Thursday's games kick off the second round of group fixtures.

On Wednesday, England lit up the tournament with a roller coaster 4-2 win over Croatia in Group L which included two goals from captain Harry Kane and one from Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham.

But while England got off the mark in style, there was disappointment for Portugal, who were held to a surprise 1-1 draw by the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The result once again renewed scrutiny of Portugal coach Roberto Martinez's support for Cristiano Ronaldo, the 41-year-old icon who is playing in his sixth World Cup.

The veteran striker gave an ineffective performance, managing just 25 touches in the whole match, but Martinez defended the decision not to replace him.

"It makes no sense to take off the best goal scorer in world football in a game that you need goals," Martinez said.

Ronaldo has now failed to score in 10 consecutive matches in major tournaments and his country's press turned against him on Thursday.

Sports newspaper A Bola said that Ronaldo appeared "crushed by the pressure" and had become "himself a problem", while Publico said the team "remains hostage to its faith in Ronaldo".

Sports

Bosnia Ready to Shed Underdog Reputation, Face Switzerland as Equals

Bosnia-Herzegovina's defender Nikola Katic (R) gives a press conference in Los Angeles, California on June 17, 2026, on the eve of the 2026 World Cup football match between Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP)
Bosnia-Herzegovina's defender Nikola Katic (R) gives a press conference in Los Angeles, California on June 17, 2026, on the eve of the 2026 World Cup football match between Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP)
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Bosnia Ready to Shed Underdog Reputation, Face Switzerland as Equals

Bosnia-Herzegovina's defender Nikola Katic (R) gives a press conference in Los Angeles, California on June 17, 2026, on the eve of the 2026 World Cup football match between Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP)
Bosnia-Herzegovina's defender Nikola Katic (R) gives a press conference in Los Angeles, California on June 17, 2026, on the eve of the 2026 World Cup football match between Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP)

Bosnia and Herzegovina ‌are fighting to dispel the notion that they are underdogs at the World Cup, key player Nikola Katic told reporters on the eve of their match with Switzerland.

Despite dispatching four-times world champions Italy and favored side Wales in the qualification playoffs, then battling co-hosts Canada to a 1-1 draw in their opening match, Bosnia are still underestimated, Katic said on Wednesday.

"After that (defeating Italy) we didn't get the respect we deserved, because it was more bad-Italy than good-Bosnia" in post-match commentary, said central defender Katic.

Bosnia manager Sergej Barbarez said his team won't be seeking a draw against ‌the Swiss, despite ‌their emphasis on compact defending and quick counter-attacks, Reuters said.

"Tomorrow ‌we ⁠are coming to ⁠play for the three points," said Barbarez, who was a top player for his country and in the Bundesliga in the 1990s and 2000s.

He became national team manager in 2024 and overhauled the squad, with more than a dozen new players being brought in since, allowing the side to have seasoned talent and leadership while enjoying the resilience of young players.

Barbarez ⁠said his team's opening Group B draw with ‌Canada gave confidence to the squad because ‌facing a host nation in the first match can be an emotional challenge ‌for young players.

"Of course there was a certain anxiety, but I ‌would say it was more of an excitement," said Barbarez.

The draw against Canada showed Bosnia-Herzegovina to be a tough side who are not intimidated by a fast-attacking team.

Barbarez and Katic said they will focus on their style of play ‌on Thursday rather than worrying about what opponents Switzerland will throw at them.

Bosnia's 40-year-old captain, Edin Dzeko, will ⁠be a ⁠towering presence in front of goal, with the country's all-time-leading scorer expected to be playing at his last World Cup.

With a robust defensive shell looking to force quick breaks, Dzeko's scoring precision will be vital to his side's hopes of success on Thursday.

Katic paid tribute to Dzeko, saying there were not enough words to explain how important his presence is on the field, in training and off the pitch.

Barbarez declined to say whether he would put Dzeko in the starting 11.

Reporters repeatedly raised the win over Italy, which Barbarez and Katic enjoyed recalling. Bosnia won 4-1 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra time.

"It is one of the games that will stay in our memories for always," said Barbarez.

Sports

Caleb Yirenki's Late Goal Gives Ghana a 1-0 Victory over Panama in the World Cup

Semenyo celebrates Ghana's sole goal in the match (Reuters)
Semenyo celebrates Ghana's sole goal in the match (Reuters)
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Caleb Yirenki's Late Goal Gives Ghana a 1-0 Victory over Panama in the World Cup

Semenyo celebrates Ghana's sole goal in the match (Reuters)
Semenyo celebrates Ghana's sole goal in the match (Reuters)

It was a play Ghana has been practicing throughout its World Cup preparation.

And after a night of missed chances, it worked.

Caleb Yirenkyi tapped in a cross from Brandon Thomas-Asante in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time, and Ghana beat Panama 1-0 on Wednesday night in the teams’ World Cup opener.

Thomas-Asante got loose on the left side and fired the ball across the goal mouth. Yirenkyi knocked it in, sending his teammates streaming onto the field to embrace both players.

“Get the ball to the wings, and then put it in the box, and we get runs — people in the box to finish,” said the 20-year-old Yirenkyi, who scored his first international goal earlier this month in a friendly against Wales. “I tried (to) just play forward and run forward, and then hope to see what comes in, and yeah, I got the ball in the box and finished.”

Ghana played without midfielder Thomas Partey, who was denied entry into Canada while he awaits trial on rape charges in England, The Associated Press said.

The late goal denied Panama its first World Cup point.

The only shot on goal in the first half came two minutes in, when Panama forward Cecilio Waterman latched onto a low cross from Amir Murillo and clipped a ball from the center of the box toward the net. Lawrence Ati-Zigi dove to his right and palmed the ball away.

The goalkeeper left the game at halftime after a couple of hard collisions. He was replaced by Benjamin Asare. Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz said Ati-Zigi would be evaluated further on Thursday.

The result puts Ghana at the top of Group L with England, which beat Croatia 4-2 earlier in the day.

After the first hour, when chances came at a premium at rainy BMO Field, the match opened up and both teams started smashing shots toward the net.

In the 65th minute, Thomas-Asante broke through Panama’s back line and played a ball along the 6-yard box toward Jordan Ayew, but Jiovany Ramos ran up from behind with a tackle to prevent the tap-in.

“Panama, they had a great first half. They kept the ball really well and we struggled with the press,” said Antoine Semenyo, who started the scoring play with a pass to Thomas-Asante. But “slowly into the second half we had that energy to go up and press and cause problems, and that led to the winner.”