Nearly four months after the world governing body of football, FIFA, declared Saudi Arabia to be the lone contender, the kingdom formally launched its campaign to host the 2034 World Cup on Friday.
Two years have passed since neighboring Qatar staged the first Middle East World Cup.
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), which is running the campaign under the tagline "Growing. Together," unveiled its website, bid logo, and a little film showcasing "the passion, spirit, and diversity of football in Saudi Arabia."
The leader of the SAFF bid unit, Hammad Albalawi, stated in a statement that "the hopes and dreams of 32 million people in Saudi Arabia are powering this campaign."
"It is our duty to present the best bid to FIFA, represent our nation with pride, and live up to the confidence that over 130 Member Associations from around the globe bestowed upon us by endorsing our bid."
The kingdom has made significant investments in sports as part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 reform drive, which wants to establish Saudi Arabia as a hub for commerce, tourism, and sports.
The men's tennis governing body, the ATP, and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) announced a "multi-year strategic partnership" on Wednesday.
Since 2021, PIF has made significant investments in several major sports, such as the establishment of the LIV golf circuit, which is a competitor to the PGA, and the acquisition of Newcastle United, an English Premier League team.
Additionally, it owns four clubs in the Saudi Pro League and has used enormous salaries to entice international players like Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Due to the expenditure, there have been claims that the kingdom is "sportswashing" criticism of its human rights record from around the world.
A tri-continental candidacy by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with three matches in South America, has emerged after Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Greece withdrew their initial interest in bidding for the 2030 World Cup.
As soon as the process was started on October 4, Saudi Arabia declared its intent to submit a bid for the 2034 tournament.
FIFA had only "invited" members of the Asian and Oceanian confederations to apply as a result of the continental rotation, leaving out the traditional footballing heartlands.
Prior to deciding to back Saudi Arabia's candidacy on October 19, Indonesia had contemplated a joint effort with Australia or potentially other nations like New Zealand, Malaysia, and Singapore.
Australia was a competitor as well, but it decided to drop out on Monday when the Asian Football Confederation supported Saudi Arabia's proposal.
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