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Saudi Arabia's 2034 FIFA World Cup Bid Conference Highlights Key Aspects of the Landmark Event 

Saudi Arabia is experiencing a historic moment as it prepares to host the largest edition of the World Cup ever held in a single country. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia is experiencing a historic moment as it prepares to host the largest edition of the World Cup ever held in a single country. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia's 2034 FIFA World Cup Bid Conference Highlights Key Aspects of the Landmark Event 

Saudi Arabia is experiencing a historic moment as it prepares to host the largest edition of the World Cup ever held in a single country. (SPA)
Saudi Arabia is experiencing a historic moment as it prepares to host the largest edition of the World Cup ever held in a single country. (SPA)

Saudi Football Federation (SAFF) president Yasser Al-Misehal stressed on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia's bid to host the FIFA World Cup 2034 has received unprecedented historical support from over 140 countries, reflecting the significant confidence of the international community to host the World Cup.

He noted that Saudi Arabia is experiencing a historic moment as it prepares to host the largest edition of the World Cup ever held in a single country.

"There is complete synergy and coordination among all government sectors to ensure the success of our bid to host this global event. We will deliver the best edition in the history of the World Cup on Saudi soil in 2034," he said in Riyadh at the official news conference on the Saudi bid.

A FIFA team will soon visit the host cities as part of the bid evaluation process. (SPA)

Saudi Vision 2030 has driven significant development and opened the doors for the world to see Saudi Arabia, he added, noting: "The World Cup is a grand dream for the entire Saudi community."

Al-Misehal expressed his gratitude and appreciation to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud for his support of all sectors in general and sports in particular.

He also thanked Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for his contributions to Saudi sports and his endorsement of the World Cup 2034 bid.

He acknowledged the support of Minister of Sport Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal throughout the journey to submit the bid.

He highlighted the new sports stadiums that will be used for the event and that will benefit future generations. The AFC Asian Cup 2027 in the Kingdom will provide an opportunity to test some of these stadiums.

The opening and final matches of the World Cup will be held in the capital, Riyadh. (SPA)

Efforts are ongoing to prepare a highly capable national team to represent the Kingdom at the 2034 World Cup, he went on to say.

Meanwhile, head of the bid committee at the SAFF Hammad Al-Balawi said that by hosting the World Cup, the Kingdom will be the first country to organize the tournament alone in its new format.

The 10-year journey has already started, he remarked.

The bid enjoys unlimited support from the wise leadership, he continued, saying that hosting the World Cup will create numerous job opportunities for the Saudi people. Eighty percent of Saudis are sports enthusiasts in general, and football fans in particular.

The opening and final matches of the World Cup will be held in the capital, Riyadh, he noted.

The news conference featured a visual presentation of Saudi Arabia's bid, highlighting the five host cities and 15 world-class stadiums. (SPA)

A FIFA team will soon visit the host cities as part of the bid evaluation process.

The news conference featured a visual presentation of Saudi Arabia's bid, highlighting the five host cities and 15 world-class stadiums, as well as plans for the railway network connectingthe Kingdom with Gulf countries.

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Verstappen Captures 4th F1 Championship after Mercedes Sweep of Las Vegas Grand Prix

Formula One F1 - Las Vegas Grand Prix - Las Vegas Strip Circuit, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States - November 23, 2024 Red Bull's Max Verstappen celebrates after winning the 2024 F1 world championship title REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
Formula One F1 - Las Vegas Grand Prix - Las Vegas Strip Circuit, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States - November 23, 2024 Red Bull's Max Verstappen celebrates after winning the 2024 F1 world championship title REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
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Verstappen Captures 4th F1 Championship after Mercedes Sweep of Las Vegas Grand Prix

Formula One F1 - Las Vegas Grand Prix - Las Vegas Strip Circuit, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States - November 23, 2024 Red Bull's Max Verstappen celebrates after winning the 2024 F1 world championship title REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
Formula One F1 - Las Vegas Grand Prix - Las Vegas Strip Circuit, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States - November 23, 2024 Red Bull's Max Verstappen celebrates after winning the 2024 F1 world championship title REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

Max Verstappen cruised to a fourth consecutive Formula 1 championship on Saturday night by finishing fifth in the Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Verstappen needed only to finish ahead of Lando Norris of McLaren to give Red Bull a fourth straight driver championship. The Dutchman started fifth but was already up to second by the 10th lap around the street circuit that includes the famed Las Vegas Strip.
Norris, who had to score at least three points more than Verstappen to extend the championship fight, finished sixth. Verstappen needed only to finish higher than Norris to win the title, which he did with two races remaining on the season.
He ended the race up 63 points over Norris with two events remaining this season.
“Max Verstappen you are a four-time world champion," team principal Christian Horner said on the radio. "That is a phenomenal, phenomenal achievement. You can be incredibly proud of yourself as we are."
Verstappen, only the sixth driver in F1 history to win at least four titles, sounded unusually emotional on the radio.
“Oh My God, what a season. Four times. Thank you, thank you guys,” he said. “We gave it all.”
The race was won, meanwhile, by George Russell who was followed by Lewis Hamilton in the first 1-2 sweep for the Mercedes drivers since 2022. Hamilton came from 10th on the grid — two weeks after a demoralizing race in Brazil — to capture his podium finish.
The duo crossed the finish line under a checkered flag waved by actor Sylvester Stallone.
Carlos Sainz Jr. finished third for Ferrari as the constructor championship remains a tight battle between leader McLaren and Ferrari. Charles Leclerc, his teammate, was fourth. Red Bull had won the title that pays roughly $150 million in prize money the last two seasons but has slipped to third in the standings.
But that championship battle appears headed to next month's season finale in Abu Dhabi. McLaren has a 24-point lead over Ferrari headed into this weekend's race in Qatar after Norris and Oscar Piastri finished sixth and seventh in Las Vegas.
“Max deserved to win it. He drove a better season than I did, he deserved it more than anyone else,” Norris said. “Max just doesn't have a weakness. When he's got the best car, he dominates and when he's not got the best car, he's still just there always.”
Verstappen, meanwhile, made easy work of Norris after a season where the McLaren driver pushed him harder than he'd been challenged since Verstappen's first title in 2021.
“To stand here as a four-time world champion is something I never thought would be possible,” Verstappen told actor Terry Crews, who moderated the podium news conference held in front of the Bellagio's famed fountains.
“It was a very challenging season and I had to be calm. I think this season taught me a lot of lessons and we handled it well as a team, so that of course makes it a very special and beautiful season.”
Verstappen, who is 27, won 19 races last year. He opened this season on a tear but a long winless streak from June until Brazil two weeks ago has him with only eight wins, his fewest since 2020.
Verstappen asked at the Bellagio what time it was, noting he was in Las Vegas and “I'm very thirsty.” He had a champagne celebration awaiting him.
Race-winner Russell, meanwhile, said he’d be skipping his scheduled flight home to celebrate the victory with actor Crews. He also twice had to sit down on the podium to wipe champagne out of his eyes.
Verstappen was cruising in third with about 20 laps remaining and not overly pushing when Red Bull urged Verstappen to be patient over the team radio.
“Max, just don't lose sight of our aim today, yeah?” he was told.
Verstappen wasn't interested in receiving any instructions.
“Yeah, yeah. I'm doing my race,” he replied.
When he later saw the Ferrari drivers behind him, he asked for instructions because of the constructor championship implications.
"Do you want me to try to keep them behind or what?" Verstappen asked of Sainz and Leclerc.
"I think you should, yeah," Red Bull told Verstappen.
He couldn't hold them off but it made no difference as his season was dominant enough to match former Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel as four-time champions for the organization.
This was the second year of the race after last year's debut was a bit of a disaster in that locals were livid for months over ongoing construction, as well as traffic detours and delays, the inability to access many local businesses, outrageous price gouging by the tourism industry as well as LVGP ticketing, and then a loose valve cover that nearly destroyed Sainz's Ferrari minutes into the first practice.
It caused an hours-long delay for repairs, fans were kicked out of the circuit, and F1 ran practice until 4 a.m. — when it legally had to reopen the streets to the public.
This year has been far less hectic, in part because all of the infrastructure headaches were a year ago, but also that last year's race was spectacular. Despite all its speed bumps, the actual running of the race was one of the best of the F1 season.
Russell started on the pole ahead of Sainz, who wanted redemption after the valve-cover fiasco last year. He had to serve a penalty because his car was damaged in the incident.
“I was hoping Vegas had something to offer me after last year, but I will take a podium," Sainz said. "I was looking at every manhole, avoiding them this time.”
The race is the final stop in the United States for F1, which has exploded in American popularity the last five years. The trio of races in Miami; Austin, Texas; and Las Vegas are more than any other country.
After the race completion, F1 next week is expected to announce it will expand the grid to 11 teams to make room for an American team backed by General Motors' Cadillac brand. The team was initially started by Michael Andretti, who could not receive approval from F1 on his expansion application.
Andretti has since turned over his ownership stake to Indiana-businessman Dan Towriss and Mark Walter, the controlling owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. They would run the Cadillac F1 team that would likely join the grid in 2026.
The announcement of the American team did not come during the weekend to not derail from the Las Vegas Grand Prix, which is the showpiece of the Liberty Media portfolio.
The race drew 306,000 fans over three days.