Saudi Arabia's bid for the 2034 World Cup has been awarded a higher technical score by FIFA compared to the 2026 joint bid by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, despite the nation still needing to build several stadiums for the tournament. FIFA released its bid evaluation report early on Saturday morning, revealing that the 2034 bid received an overall average score of 4.2 out of 5, with eight stadiums yet to be constructed. All venues, including the planned 92,760-seater King Salman International Stadium in Riyadh, are scheduled to be completed by 2032, but three new stadiums are expected to be finished in time for the Asian Cup in January 2027.
Meanwhile, the 2026 bid scored 4.0, initially proposing 23 stadiums, all of which were already built. Eventually, 16 host cities for the 2026 World Cup were announced, with many venues being existing NFL stadiums. FIFA's report highlighted that the Saudi bid includes ambitious stadium projects integrated into unique locations, such as the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium within the Qiddiya development and the Neom Stadium within 'The Line' development. Although these 'one-of-a-kind' stadium projects have significant potential, the 'proposed configuration and location' would require a reimagining of operations, with some associated unknowns or challenges at this moment.
Neom, a Red Sea urban and industrial development nearly the size of Belgium, is central to the prince's Vision 2030 plan to create new engines of economic growth beyond oil. However, some of the schemes have had to be scaled back due to rising costs, including 'The Line', a futuristic city between mirrored walls extending 170 km into the desert within Neom. FIFA noted that should the bid be successful, it would be imperative to closely monitor and support these projects from initiation to completion. Stadiums alone account for 35% of the overall score awarded to bids, and FIFA claimed the level of risk in the 2026 bid was low, while the Saudi bid had a medium level of risk due to the overall scale of the stadium projects and the novel designs proposed.
Votes are scheduled to be held at the FIFA Congress next month to approve the 2030 and 2034 World Cups, although each has only a single bid. Saudi Arabia is the lone bidder for 2034, while a combined bid from Morocco, Spain, and Portugal is the sole one for 2030. The 2030 World Cup bid also received a score of 4.2. FIFA stated that the Saudi bid did not specify a proposed window for the World Cup but would collaborate with stakeholders to determine the optimal timing for the tournament, potentially pushing it to a winter slot due to the country's desert climate.
Amnesty International and the Sport & Rights Alliance have called on FIFA to halt the process of selecting Saudi Arabia as hosts for the 2034 tournament unless major human rights reforms are announced before the vote. FIFA's bid report noted that Saudi Arabia has submitted commitments to respecting, protecting, and fulfilling internationally recognized human rights, including areas such as safety and security, labor rights of migrant workers, rights of children, gender equality and non-discrimination, as well as freedom of expression (including press freedom).
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