Chandigarh, December 11, 2024 (Punjab Khabarnama Bureau)- FIFA is set to confirm the hosts of the 2030 and 2034 men’s World Cups on Wednesday, with a three-continent, six-nation bid led by Morocco, Spain and Portugal to be awarded the former and the latter going to Saudi Arabia.
In October last year, the global soccer governing body said there were no competing bids for the two tournaments, making Wednesday’s decision little more than a formality.
A day before the announcement it was still not clear exactly what format a vote on the decision would adopt, with acceptance by “acclamation” expected rather than a formal vote.
On Tuesday, the Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) said it would vote against the awarding of hosting rights by acclamation and criticised FIFA’s bidding process, saying it was “flawed and inconsistent”.
Morocco, Spain and Portugal’s combined proposal will see the 2030 World Cup take place across three continents and six countries to mark the tournament’s centenary, with Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay hosting celebratory games.
Uruguay hosted the first ever World Cup in 1930.
Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay had in 2022 submitted a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup, but FIFA announced last year that Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay would instead each host one match during the tournament.
Summary: FIFA set to announce Saudi Arabia as the host for the 2034 World Cup, marking a historic moment for the nation.