Saudi Arabia to Host 2034 World Cup

Saudi Arabia has been officially awarded the hosting rights for the 2034 FIFA Men’s World Cup at an extraordinary FIFA congress. They were the sole bidder for the event. The 2030 World Cup hosting was also decided, with Spain, Portugal, and Morocco set to host the tournament. The opening three matches will be in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay to commemorate the centennial of the first World Cup held in Uruguay in 1930. FIFA’s allotment process for Saudi Arabia faced criticism, with the bid evaluated as ‘yellow’ or medium risk concerning human rights but scored highly in stadiums, facilities, transportation, and commercial opportunities, achieving the highest-ever rating for a World Cup bid with 419.8 points out of 500.