Saudi Arabia announced on Wednesday it plans to bid to host the 2034 World Cup, the latest step in a campaign to turn the kingdom into a global sports powerhouse.
The bid “intends to deliver a world-class tournament and will draw inspiration from Saudi Arabia’s ongoing social and economic transformation and the country’s deep-rooted passion for football,” said a statement from the Saudi Arabian football federation.
The Saudi announcement came an hour after world football’s governing body FIFA released a statement giving its plans for the 2030 World Cup and inviting countries in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to bid for 2034.
Sport is a major component of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 reform agenda, which aims to transform Saudi Arabia into a tourism and business hub while transitioning the economy away from fossil fuels.
Since 2018, the Kingdom has successfully hosted over 50 international sports events including football, motor sports, golf, electronic sports, tennis, and equestrian tournaments. Earlier this year Saudi Arabia was confirmed as host of football’s 2027 Asian Cup.
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