On Wednesday, the 2034 FIFA World Cup was officially announced to be hosted by Saudi Arabia.
The announcement has been anticipated for some time, as Saudi Arabia was the sole nation to submit a proposal to host the 2034 World Cup.
On Wednesday, FIFA also verified the joint candidacy of Spain, Portugal, and Morocco for the 2030 World Cup.
The 2034 World Cup will be the second time the global event has been conducted in a Middle Eastern nation, following the 2022 World Cup, which was hosted by Qatar.
🚨🏆 OFFICIAL: Spain, Portugal and Morocco will host the centenary edition of the World Cup in 2030.
Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay will also be ‘centenary hosts’. pic.twitter.com/MZcXry94ZR
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 11, 2024
Saudi Arabia has qualified for the FIFA World Cup on six separate occasions; however, it has only managed to advance beyond the group stage once, in 1994.
Saudi Arabia will be automatically included in the 2034 World Cup field as the host nation and will not be required to qualify.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has emerged as a significant participant in the international sports arena, funding LIV Golf, hosting numerous WWE pro wrestling and boxing events annually, and participating in the Formula One racing circuit with the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix..
In December 2022, the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo signed with Al Nassr of the Saudi Pro League, making Saudi Arabia a popular destination for high-profile soccer players.
However it has also long been a target of criticism over it’s history of continual human rights abuses.
[READ MORE: Mod Squad Actor Michael Cole Dead at 84]