Saudi Arabia confirmed as 2034 World Cup host
FIFA officially awarded Saudi Arabia the hosting rights for the 2034 World Cup on December 11, after the kingdom's bid scored the highest evaluation mark in tournament history with 419.8 out of 500 points, Nemnna learned.
The Saudi bid, submitted under the slogan "Growing Together," will see matches played across five main cities - Riyadh, Jeddah, Khobar, Abha, and NEOM - utilising 15 stadiums, including 11 new venues, FIFA said in a statement.
The centrepiece will be the new King Salman Stadium in Riyadh, with a capacity exceeding 92,000, which will host both the opening match and final. The venue will subsequently serve as the national team's primary stadium.
"The kingdom aims to organise the most-watched sporting event in history," said the Saudi organising committee, outlining plans for 132 training facilities across 15 cities to accommodate the 48 participating teams.
Among the major infrastructure projects, the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium in Qiddiya will feature a distinctive three-tier design overlooking the Tuwaiq mountain range, while NEOM's stadium will be built 350 meters high within The Line structure, powered by wind and solar energy.
The bid includes comprehensive accommodation plans with over 230,000 rooms across host and support cities for FIFA delegations, teams, media, and fans. Fan festivals will be hosted at various locations including Jeddah Waterfront, Abha's Sea Square, and what is set to become the world's largest urban park, King Salman Park in Riyadh.
Saudi Arabia was the sole bidder for the 2034 tournament after Australia withdrew from the race in October. The kingdom's selection follows FIFA's decision to award the 2030 World Cup to a Spain-Portugal-Morocco joint bid, with three matches in South America.
The tournament marks the first FIFA World Cup to be held in Saudi Arabia and continues the trend of major sporting events coming to the Gulf region, following Qatar's hosting of the 2022 World Cup.
