Saudi Arabia awarded 2034 FIFA World Cup

Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 men’s FIFA World Cup.

The Gulf Nation was awarded the right to welcome the football world by acclamation at the Extraordinary FIFA Congress on Wednesday (11 December) in Zurich, Switzerland.

FIFA also confirmed the hosts for the 2030 World Cup, which is being held in six countries across three continents.

Spain, Portugal and Morocco will be the main hosts of the centenary World Cup, while the first three matches will take place across Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay to mark the 100^th anniversary of the first World Cup in 1930.

It marks the first time that 48 teams will take part in the final tournament.

Saudi Arabia was awarded the World Cup for the first time in its history, while this will be the second time that the top men’s football tournament will be played in the Middle East.

The Kingdom had proposed in its bidding campaign that the matches will be held across 15 stadiums in five cities (Riyadh, Jeddah, Khobar, Abha, NEOM).

The Green Falcons have competed at the last two editions of the World Cup, failing to reach the knockout stages on both occasions despite stunning eventual champions Argentina at Qatar 2022.

The Saudis did make it to the round of 16 at their first World Cup appearance in 1994, the first of four consecutive World Cups for the nation.