After the Australian Football Federation declined to enter the bidding process, Saudi Arabia is all but certain to host the men’s FIFA World Cup in 2034.
FIFA had set Tuesday as the deadline for bids to be submitted to host the tournament, but Australia’s withdrawal leaves Saudi Arabia as the only declared candidate.
“We have explored the opportunity to bid to host the FIFA World Cup, and having taken all factors into consideration, we have reached the conclusion not to do so for the 2034 competition,” Football Australia (FA) said in a statement.
Spain, Portugal, and Morocco will co-host the FIFA World Cup 2030
FIFA still needs to approve Saudi Arabia as the host, which is expected to happen next year, but victory now appears to be a formality.
It would be the culmination of Saudi Arabia’s ambitious drive to become a major player in global sports, having already spent vast sums on bringing dozens of star footballers to their domestic league, purchasing English club Newcastle, launching the breakaway LIV Golf tour, and hosting major boxing fights.
After awarding the 2030 World Cup to a joint bid by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, which will also include games in South America, FIFA decided earlier this month to expedite the 2034 hosting race, with only member federations from Asia and Oceania eligible to bid.
They had less than four weeks to enter the race and another month to sign a bidding agreement that required government approval.