Saudi Arabia will host the men’s soccer World Cup in 2034 while the 2030 edition will be held in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with one-off matches in three South American countries, world soccer’s governing body FIFA confirmed on Wednesday.

The decision was announced by FIFA President Gianni Infantino following a virtual extraordinary Congress. The 2030 and 2034 World Cups each had only a single bid and both were confirmed by acclamation.

“We are bringing football to more countries and the number of teams has not diluted the quality. It actually enhanced the opportunity,” Infantino said about the 2030 World Cup.

The combined proposal from Morocco, Spain and Portugal will see the 2030 World Cup take place across three continents and six nations, with Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay hosting celebratory games to mark the tournament’s centenary.

Uruguay held the first World Cup in 1930, while Argentina and Spain have also staged the tournament. Portugal, Paraguay and Morocco will all be first-time hosts.

Four years later, Saudi Arabia will become the second nation from the Middle East to host the quadrennial tournament, 12 years after neighbours Qatar staged the 2022 edition.

In 2023, FIFA said that the 2034 World Cup would be held in the Asia or Oceania region, with the Asian Football Confederation throwing its support behind the Saudi bid.

Australia and Indonesia had also been in talks over a joint bid, but dropped out.

FIFA announced that both bids would be uncontested in 2023, leaving little room for doubt.

On Tuesday, the Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) said it would vote against the awarding of hosting rights by acclamation and criticised FIFA’s bidding process, saying it was “flawed and inconsistent”.

-Reuters

The Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) on Tuesday said it will vote against FIFA’s awarding of hosting rights for the 2030 and 2034 World Cups by acclamation, adding that it had formally criticised the process in a letter to the world governing body.

Votes are due to be held at FIFA’s virtual extraordinary Congress on Wednesday to approve the 2030 and 2034 World Cups, though each has only a single bid, which are both expected to be confirmed by acclamation.

A combined bid from Morocco, Spain and Portugal is the sole one for 2030, while Saudi Arabia is the lone bidder for 2034. FIFA announced both bidders in October last year.

“Ahead of the Congress, the Norwegian Football Federation has expressed concerns on several occasions about FIFA’s process for awarding the 2030 and 2034 World Cups,” the NFF said in a statement.

“The NFF will formally criticise the bidding process in a letter to FIFA and request that this be recorded in the Congress minutes.

“If a vote by acclamation is held, the NFF will vote against it. The NFF cannot endorse a process it considers flawed and inconsistent with the principles of FIFA’s own reforms.”

The NFF also requested that its criticism be officially recorded by FIFA.

FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

‘DELIBERATE SIGNAL’

“Tomorrow’s vote is not about who gets the 2030 and 2034 World Cups – that has already been decided,” NFF President Lise Klaveness said.

“The Congress is primarily about providing feedback on FIFA’s allocation process. The board’s assessment is that the process does not align with the principles of a sound and predictable governance system.

“By abstaining from acclamation, we are sending a deliberate signal that we cannot support FIFA’s approach.”

Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay submitted a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup in 2022.

However, FIFA announced in 2023 that Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay would instead each host one match of the 2030 World Cup to mark the tournament’s centenary, before the action moves to Morocco, Spain and Portugal.

Australia and Indonesia were in talks over a joint bid for the 2034 World Cup but dropped out before Saudi was announced as the sole bidder.

HUMAN RIGHTS

Klaveness added that the lack of an open process undermined trust in FIFA as the “global custodian of football”.

“FIFA’s own guidelines for human rights and due diligence have also not been adequately integrated into the process, increasing the risk of human rights violations,” she added.

“Based on the mandate from our General Assembly in 2021, we have consistently advocated for FIFA to strengthen itself as a rules-based and predictable steward of international football.

“We must remain consistent in this matter as well.”

Amnesty International and the Sport & Rights Alliance (SRA)last month called on FIFA to halt the process to pick Saudi Arabia as hosts of the 2034 tournament unless major human rights reforms are announced before the vote.

Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in sport over the last few years although critics, including women’s rights groups and members of the LGBTQ community, have accused the kingdom of using its Public Investment Fund to “sportswash” its human rights record.

The country denies accusations of human rights abuses and says it protects its national security through its laws.

-Reuters

FIFA is set to confirm the hosts of the 2030 and 2034 men’s World Cups on Wednesday, with a three-continent, six-nation bid led by Morocco, Spain and Portugal to be awarded the former and the latter going to Saudi Arabia.

In October last year, the global soccer governing body said there were no competing bids for the two tournaments, making Wednesday’s decision little more than a formality.

A day before the announcement it was still not clear exactly what format a vote on the decision would adopt, with acceptance by “acclamation” expected rather than a formal vote.

On Tuesday, the Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) said it would vote against the awarding of hosting rights by acclamation and criticised FIFA’s bidding process, saying it was “flawed and inconsistent”.

BIDS

Morocco, Spain and Portugal’s combined proposal will see the 2030 World Cup take place across three continents and six countries to mark the tournament’s centenary, with Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay hosting celebratory games.

Uruguay hosted the first ever World Cup in 1930.

Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay had in 2022 submitted a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup, but FIFA announced last year that Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay would instead each host one match during the tournament.

Saudi Arabia will become the second nation from the Middle East to host the quadrennial tournament in 2034, 12 years after neighbours Qatar staged the 2022 edition.

Australia and Indonesia were in talks over a joint bid for the 2034 tournament, but dropped out before Saudi was announced as the sole bidder.

HURDLES

Both bids have already been criticised.

The decision to host the 2030 World Cup across three continents has been panned by climate activists because of the increased emissions from the extra travel required.

FIFA has said it will take measures to “mitigate the environmental impact“.

The 2034 bid by Saudi Arabia has been criticised because of the country’s human rights record and desert climate, much in the same way as the Qatar World Cup.

The Saudi climate will likely force FIFA to hold the tournament in the Northern Hemisphere winter, just like it did in Qatar, where the event took place from late November to mid-December.

That timeframe will coincide with the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, with reports now suggesting the 2034 tournament could be held in January instead, risking a clash with the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

FIFA said the Saudi bid did not stipulate a proposed window and that they would collaborate with stakeholders to “determine the optimal timing”.

HUMAN RIGHTS

A World Cup in Saudi Arabia will also spark debate about the Kingdom’s record on human rights and lead to accusations of ‘sportswashing’.

Amnesty International and the Sport & Rights Alliance (SRA) last month urged FIFA to halt the process to pick Saudi as hosts unless it announces major reforms before the vote.

The Kingdom has invested heavily in sport over the last few years, although critics, including women’s rights groups and members of the LGBTQ community, allege it is using its Public Investment Fund to sportswash its human rights record.

The country denies accusations of human rights abuses and says it protects its national security through its laws.

Hammad Albalawi, head of Saudi Arabia’s bid, told Reuters this month that the country has made significant progress in human rights.

-Reuters