- The hosting rights for the 2030 and 2034 World Cups have been announced
- Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 tournament, and the FA backed their bid
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The FA have backed Saudi Arabia’s controversial hosting of the 2034 World Cup, which was confirmed on Wednesday.
Officials from the FA held talks with Saudi officials last month amid concerns over human rights — and LGBTQ+ fans being welcome in the country.
They received assurances that would be the case and gave their support to the bid, along with Spain, Portugal and Morocco’s joint quest to stage the tournament in 2030.
Both hosts were rubberstamped on Wednesday via an online FIFA forum. No vote was held, with the decision instead ratified by delegates clapping.
The Saudi tournament is unlikely to be held in summer, due to the searing heat. Many believe it will be pushed back to January 2035 to ensure it does not clash with Ramadan.
Human rights groups had raised questions over the eligibility of FIFA’s bidding process. However, an FA spokesman hailed a ‘technically strong’ bid. ‘Our focus is ensuring all our fans can attend and enjoy tournaments,’ a spokesperson added.
The FA, fronted by CEO Mark Bullingham (above), backed Saudi Arabia’s 2034 World Cup bid
Saudi Arabia was announced as the host for the tournament by FIFA president Gianni Infantino
Saudi Arabia has never hosted the World Cup, but that will change in 2034
‘The FA board met the Saudi Football Federation. We asked them to commit to ensuring all fans would be safe — including LGBTQ+ fans. They assured us they are committed to providing a safe environment for all fans.’
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the tournaments would ‘inspire lasting change and positive human rights impacts’. The Football Supporters’ Association struck a different tone. ‘The echoes of Qatar 2022 are undeniable,’ a spokesperson said. ‘An opaque awards process alongside the ludicrous pretence that 2034 will be a summer tournament. On top of that human rights criticisms are brushed aside.’
