The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) announced the time map regarding the application to host the 2034 World Cup.
FIFA revealed earlier that it had selected Asia and Oceania as the two continents allowed to apply to host the World Cup.
FIFA indicated that the deadline for submitting applications to host the 2034 World Cup will be October 31.
While FIFA revealed that the approval of the host country for the 2034 World Cup will take place in the last quarter of 2024.
This comes during the special meeting of the FIFA Congress in the last quarter of the year.
The Saudi Football Association officially announced its intention to submit a request to host the 2034 World Cup.
The official account of the Saudi Federation on the social networking site “Twitter” published a tweet quoted from the account of the Saudi News Agency “SPA”, which included statements by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about the 2034 World Cup.
The Saudi Crown Prince said: “The Kingdom’s desire to host the 2034 World Cup is a reflection of what it has achieved - praise be to God - in terms of a comprehensive renaissance at all levels.”
Press reports spread about Saudi Arabia’s desire to host the 2030 World Cup, along with Egypt and Greece, but in the end other reports mentioned the Kingdom’s intention to shift its focus to the 2034 edition.
Asia previously hosted the tournament in the 2002 editions, jointly organized by Korea and Japan, then Qatar in 2022.
No country in Australia has ever hosted a World Cup before.
It is noteworthy that the 2026 edition will be held jointly by the countries of America, Mexico and Canada.
While the 2030 edition will be held in Morocco, Spain and Portugal, with one match in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay to celebrate the centenary of the World Cup, which began in 1930.
2030 version
FIFA answered questions about the 2030 World Cup and holding the tournament in 6 different countries despite the great distance between them, as follows:
The 2030 World Cup match schedule will be uniquely modified to provide additional and sufficient days between matches for the teams participating in the centenary meetings in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, in order to travel, rest, adapt and prepare.
The intended schedule will provide approximately 11 to 12 days of travel and rest prior to the second match of the six opening teams in South America, with approximately 5 to 6 days of travel and rest for the remaining six group competitors and all other participating teams.
The three matches to be played in South America will be brought forward a few days before the official opening matches of the 2030 World Cup, which will be held in Morocco, Portugal and Spain.
The table comes as follows:
- Saturday and Sunday, June 8 and 9, 2030: The opening ceremony of the centenary and the first matches of Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay, each team, at home.
- Thursday and Friday, June 13 and 14: The opening ceremony and opening matches of the World Cup.
- Saturday and Sunday, June 15 and 16: The first matches of the other teams in the groups of Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.
- Friday and Saturday, June 21 and 22: The second matches for all teams in the groups of Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.
- Sunday, July 21: 2030 World Cup Final
It is expected that the host cities for the 2030 World Cup will be officially announced at the FIFA meeting in the last quarter of 2024.