FIFA and Saudi Arabia prepare for a decade of intense scrutiny following the World Cup bid rights.
Saudi Arabia is set to be confirmed as the host of the 2034 World Cup by FIFA on Wednesday, while the 2030 World Cup will be awarded to a joint bid by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with matches in South America.
The outcome has been clear since last year: Saudi Arabia will be officially confirmed by FIFA as the host for the 2034 World Cup on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the 2030 World Cup will be awarded to a unique six-nation, three-continent bid led by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. It will also feature a single match each in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, the first-ever World Cup host in 1930.
Two men's World Cups, with one candidate each, both virtually guaranteed to win.
This result aligns with FIFA and its president Gianni Infantino's plans from October of the previous year. On that day, the 2030 World Cup was effectively decided, and the bidding for 2034 unexpectedly opened. FIFA is set to award one of the world’s most prestigious sporting events to Saudi Arabia, a key part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s modernizing vision, which will bring a decade of global attention.
WHAT TO EXPECT ON WEDNESDAY?
FIFA will host a special congress in Zurich at 3 p.m. local time (1300 GMT), with its 211 member federations attending remotely. The meeting at FIFA's headquarters, which is closed to the public, will likely be streamed live on FIFA's website. The 37-member FIFA council, which includes Saudi federation president Yasser al Misehal, will meet on Tuesday and is expected to recommend approving both bids.
The official confirmation of the 2030 and 2034 World Cup hosts will likely be made in a combined acclamation vote, rather than a formal, recorded ballot. When the United States, Canada, and Mexico secured the 2026 World Cup in June 2018, FIFA publicly released each member’s vote, with the North American bid winning 134-65 against Morocco. The Saudi bid team has stated that, as a nation passionate about football, fans across the kingdom will celebrate if their country is confirmed as the 2034 host.
THE FIFA BIDDING PROCESS
The World Cup hosting process unfolded gradually before accelerating unexpectedly.
After losing the bid for 2026 to the financially powerful North American proposal, Morocco’s King Mohammed VI announced in June 2018 that his country would pursue the 2030 World Cup. Many anticipated Europe would host the tournament next.
Soon after, Spain’s government invited Morocco to join forces, creating a bid with Portugal. This plan survived a brief consideration of Ukraine as a co-host in 2022, amid the ongoing war.
Saudi Arabia also entered the race in 2022, attempting a co-hosting bid with Egypt and Greece or Italy, but it was opposed by UEFA. When FIFA’s council eventually convened to discuss World Cup hosting, the Spain-led bid had gained South American backing. This led to the decision to open the 2034 bidding process to only Asia and Oceania members, with the contest closing in just four weeks.
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