The decision regarding the hosting rights for both events will be put to a vote during a virtual FIFA Congress, but there is little doubt about the results, as neither bid faces any competition. For the 2034 tournament, FIFA has applied its policy of rotating the event among continents, only accepting bids from Asia or Oceania. The 2026 World Cup, which will feature 48 teams for the first time, is scheduled to take place in North America.
Controversially, FIFA provided potential bidders with less than a month last year to submit their proposals, leading Australia and Indonesia to quickly withdraw their interest. This left Saudi Arabia as the only candidate, paving the way for the World Cup to return to the Gulf region shortly after Qatar hosted in 2022.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto leader, has been leveraging sports to enhance his influence and improve Saudi Arabia's global image. However, critics argue that this amounts to "sportswashing," as it distracts from the country's human rights record.
Saudi Arabia already hosts numerous prestigious events, including a Formula One Grand Prix, heavyweight boxing matches, the LIV golf circuit funded by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, and the WTA Finals in tennis. Securing the 2034 World Cup would be a significant achievement for the nation, although it currently has only two stadiums with a capacity of 40,000, while 14 are needed.
In addition to this logistical hurdle, the extreme heat during the northern hemisphere summer may necessitate rescheduling the tournament to later in the year, similar to the adjustments made for Qatar in 2022. The occurrence of Ramadan in December that year adds another layer of complexity. Furthermore, awarding the World Cup to Saudi Arabia will likely reignite discussions surrounding human rights, reminiscent of the conversations that took place two years ago.
Rights organizations have drawn attention to mass executions in Saudi Arabia, allegations of torture, and the limitations imposed on women under the country's male guardianship system. Additionally, freedom of expression is heavily curtailed.
Unprecedented Bid
The 2030 World Cup will commemorate a century since the inaugural tournament in Uruguay, leading to the South American nation being allocated a match alongside Argentina and Paraguay. This marks a truly unprecedented bid, encompassing three distinct continental confederations.
FIFA announced over a year ago that the joint proposal from Morocco, Spain, and Portugal was the only candidate for the 2030 tournament, as all other potential bids had been eliminated.
A collaborative bid from the UK and Ireland was set aside in favor of hosting Euro 2028, while there were earlier discussions regarding a bid from South Korea, China, Japan, and North Korea.
In 2019, four South American nations initiated a joint bid, believing that the centenary World Cup should be held entirely on the continent where it originated.
In late 2022, UEFA supported a bid that included Spain and Portugal alongside war-torn Ukraine as a gesture of “solidarity” following the Russian invasion. However, Ukraine was quietly removed from that proposal last year, allowing Morocco to partner with the Iberian nations, while South America agreed to relinquish its bid in exchange for hosting three matches—one each for Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina.
Morocco is preparing to construct a mega stadium.
After these “centenary celebrations” during the relatively cool southern hemisphere winter, the six participating teams and their supporters will need to cross the Atlantic Ocean to continue the tournament.
This expansive tournament will culminate in the final on July 21, with the location of the match yet to be determined. Spain, which hosted the World Cup in 1982, is expected to play a central role, featuring 11 of the 20 proposed stadiums.
Morocco, having made five unsuccessful attempts to host the tournament in the past, will now become the second African country to hold the event, following South Africa's hosting in 2010.
Possible locations for the final match include Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu and Barcelona's Camp Nou, which is currently undergoing significant renovations. Additionally, the new Hassan II stadium, located between Casablanca and Rabat, is projected to be the largest stadium globally, with a capacity of 115,000.
Portugal, which previously hosted Euro 2004, is prepared to provide two stadiums in Lisbon and one in Porto, with aspirations to host a semi-final match.