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Agence France-Presse

Saudi Arabia, as the sole bidders to stage the tournament, will be confirmed as the host of the 2034 Fifa World Cup on Wednesday.
The policy put forward from football’s governing body of rotating continents to host the tournament every four years meant this was to be the turn of Asia or Oceania.
And with Australia and Indonesia having dropped out of the running, it left Saudi Arabia as the sole candidate.
It will be the second Gulf state to host the tournament, after Qatar’s World Cup in 2022.
Meanwhile, after decades of unsuccessful bids, Morocco will finally achieve their long-cherished dream of hosting the tournament in 2030, along with Spain and Portugal, in what the North African country hopes will boost their international image and economy.

Fifa will also formally ratify the trio’s candidacy on Wednesday, with Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay also hosting a game each to mark a century since the very first World Cup was staged in South America.
It will have taken over 40 years since Morocco became the first African nation in 1987 to bid for the World Cup, aiming to host the 1994 edition.
Rabat has made five failed bids in total, including one for 2026 but also 2010, when it narrowly lost out to South Africa for the right to host the first World Cup on the continent.
“This is a unique opportunity to accelerate national economic growth, create jobs and boost the country’s tourism,” said Fouzi Lekjaa, head of Morocco’s 2030 World Cup Committee.
Speaking after a cabinet meeting chaired by King Mohammed VI, Lekjaa emphasised the transformational potential of hosting the world’s biggest sporting event.
The Moroccan government has unveiled ambitious plans to modernise infrastructure in six host cities: Rabat, Casablanca, Fes, Tangier, Marrakech and Agadir.
This includes expanding airports, roads and transport networks, as well as boosting hotel and commercial services, according to an official statement.
Six stadiums in the host cities are already undergoing renovation work, said the statement.
Additionally, a new 115,000-seat stadium near Casablanca, costing €480 million (US$507 million), is also in the works as the kingdom banks on the state-of-the-art venue to host the final.
“These projects will leave a lasting legacy for future generations,” said Moncef El Yazghi, a researcher specialising in sports policy.
Morocco’s interest in hosting the World Cup dates back to the team’s groundbreaking performance at the 1986 tournament in Mexico, where they became the first African and Arab nation to reach the knockout stage.
The success sparked the idea of using football as a platform to enhance the nation’s reputation.


For sociologist Abderrahim Bourquia, the infrastructure improvements for the tournament offer economic benefits while also granting Morocco global confidence.
Spectators from all over the world “will associate Morocco with the sport’s positive values”, he said.
The project also aligns with Morocco’s ambition to cultivate stronger ties continentally.
In recent years, the kingdom has increasingly sought to deepen their diplomacy with other African countries, bolstered by their return to the African Union in 2017.
The country has signed some 44 partnership agreements with African football federations.
Morocco was due to stage the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2015 but pulled out of hosting the tournament because of concerns about the spread of Ebola amid an outbreak in West Africa.
However, it will stage the next AFCON, beginning in December next year and running into January 2026.
It also hosted the Women’s Cup of Nations in 2022 and has been the host of the Club World Cup on several occasions.
These events have become a key tool for Morocco to achieve what El Yazghi describes as “football diplomacy”.
Morocco’s joint bid with Spain and Portugal came after Madrid backed Morocco’s position on the conflict of Western Sahara.

Madrid’s diplomatic shift in 2022 “undoubtedly paved the way for the joint World Cup bid”, said international relations expert Tajeddine El-Husseini.
While the 2030 World Cup offers Morocco global visibility, it also presents an opportunity to invest in the development of domestic football.
The men’s national team enjoyed historic success at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when they became the first African and Arab nation to reach the semi-finals.
However, despite a population of 38 million, the country has only 90,000 registered players, according to El Yazghi.
To address this gap, the Moroccan Football Federation partnered with OCP Group, the state-owned phosphate producer, to finance new training centres for players in the hope of unearthing a new generation to follow in the footsteps of the current side, featuring stars such as Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi.


Fifa confirm Saudi Arabia as 2034 World Cup host, 2030 edition to be held in 6 countries

Fifa 2034 World Cup: Saudi Arabia to become second Gulf State to host biggest tournament

‘Humanising Saudi football’: Netflix series paves way for country to host 2034 World Cup

Fifa World Cup 2030: a global tournament on 3 continents sparks concerns over climate

Fifa

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, wearing a World Cup 2030 T-shirt, applauds fans during the warmup before a Uefa Nations League match between Portugal and Poland last month. Photo: AP

Six stadiums in the cities hosting the tournament, including Marrakech, are undergoing renovation work. Photo: AFP

Morocco’s Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi against Portugal at the Qatar World Cup. Photo: Reuters

Construction workers at work at Morocco’s Marrakesh Stadium, one of several venues proposed for use at the 2030 Fifa World Cup. Photo: AFP

The 2022 World Cup in Qatar saw the construction of air-conditioned stadiums that are rarely reused. Photo: Xinhua

The 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea showed that co-hosting could be done sensibly. Photo: AFP

Amnesty International activists dressed as football referees holding red cards and a banner protesting against Saudi Arabia’s candidacy for the 2034 World Cup, in Zeist, Netherlands last month. Photo: AFP

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (left) with Fifa president Gianni Infantino at the 2018 World Cup in Moscow. Photo: AP

China’s Zheng Qinwen at the WTA Finals tennis event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in November. Photo: Xinhua

Al-Nassr’s Saudi Arabian midfielder Abdulrahman Ghareeb playing against Damac at Al-Awwal Park. Photo: AFP

Sport

Football

Fifa is set to formally ratify the decision on Wednesday, as they are the sole remaining bidder


Fifa is set to formally ratify the decision on Wednesday, as they are the sole remaining bidder.


Fifa World Cup

Morocco