Saudi Arabia to Host the 2034 World Cup

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Saudi Arabia emerged as the likely winner to host the FIFA World Cup in 2034 late last month after bidding rivals Australia pulled the plug on their bid attempt. Australian officials concluded that they would have been overmatched in challenging Saudi Arabia to secure the votes of the majority of FIFA’s 211 federations. Saudi Arabia has been very public for years about its desire to host the World Cup, and it moved swiftly to secure the tournament after FIFA initiated the bidding process. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman declared the Kingdom’s intent to bid within minutes of FIFA’s announcement of the official timeline. Saudi Arabia is most likely to be unveiled as hosts when FIFA makes its official announcement in the fourth quarter of 2024.

The Vision

The tournament bid is hardly unexpected for those closely following Saudi Arabia's strategic endeavours in the realm of sports. In 2016, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman introduced Vision 2030, a comprehensive plan aimed at achieving three interlinked objectives: diversifying the Saudi economy beyond its reliance on oil, modernising society in alignment with cultural traditions, and elevating the Kingdom's global prominence.

As an integral component of Vision 2030, sports play a significant role in the ongoing transformation of the Kingdom, characterised by its youthful, dynamic, and progressive population. Socially, Vision 2030 is making substantial strides, evident in the remarkable 150% increase in women's participation in sports, a trend that continues to grow exponentially. The transformative power of sports as a reflection of societal change is unmistakable, with a tangible impact on the employment landscape for women. Over the past two years, there has been a noteworthy decline in female unemployment, dropping from 32% to 24%, underscoring the positive societal shifts fostered by Vision 2030.

The Kingdom aims to use sports as a vehicle for economic growth with major events such as the formula 1 or large boxing events a regular occurrence across the Kingdom. The contribution of sports to the Kingdom’s GDP had vaulted from 11.2 billion SAR in 2016 to 25.8 billion SAR in 2019. In ambitious plans, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is still optimistic for sport to contribute another 1.5% to the country’s GDP. The Saudi Arabian GDP in 2022 was 4.1 trillion SAR so this implies the Kingdom is hopeful for a 63.7 billion SAR annual boost to overall domestic output of sport.

The investment in sport has been spearheaded by PIF and various investment arms including newly founded SRJ Investments. The PIF has made public headlines globally for the acquisition of Newcastle United FC as well as the controversial inception of LIV golf amongst many other investments. Closer to home, large investments have been made into Saudi Arabian football. The PIF has taken 75% control of the countries four biggest clubs with stakes in Al Nassr, Asian Champions League finalists Al Hilal, Al Ahli, and Al Ittihad.

The Football Landscape in KSA

The Saudi Pro League (SPL) has announced a new strategy in alignment with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation to drive competitiveness in the league with an emphasis on fostering young Saudi talent alongside securing the best international talent and improving governance of all clubs for long term success. With this in mind the SPL launched a new player acquisition centre of excellence (PACE). PACE will be led by Michael Emenalo who joins the SPL as the new director of football with immediate effect, having been appointed by the Board of Directors of the SPL. Already all clubs have been fully briefed on the PACE process for international transfers and are activity working with Emenalo. As SPL Director of Football, Emenalo will lead PACE and start immediately assisting with squad mapping and player care. He will be responsible for providing a centralised approach to transfers and helping to give all clubs the best possible expertise and governance to ensure a dynamic, young, yet sustainable future.

In addition to its global player acquisition efforts, the new SPL (Saudi Professional League) strategy is set to establish a robust and transparent pathway for young players, bridging the gap between youth team football and the pinnacle of Saudi Arabian football. Among several progressive regulations, the SPL has lowered the age of eligibility from 18 to 16 years old. A pivotal move in prioritizing youth development involves a reduction in squad sizes, decreasing from 35 players overall to 25 senior players. Notably, starting from the 2025-26 season, this reduction will allow for 10 players under the age of 21 to comprise the full squad of 35, emphasising a strategic focus on nurturing emerging talent within the league.

Looking further ahead to the 2026-27 season, the SPL is set to implement a mandate requiring the inclusion of eight "homegrown" players who are graduates from club academies within their main squad, with a stipulation that four must be direct graduates from the club's system. History underscores that a robust league system often correlates with a formidable national team—a prime example being the Spanish national team, which dominated international football from 2008 to 2014 during La Liga's dominance of world football.

The proactive initiatives undertaken by the SPL signal a promising trajectory for the Saudi Arabia national team. As these measures take root, it is evident that the Kingdom is strategically positioning itself for success on the global stage, laying a strong foundation for a competitive and compelling performance come the opening game of the 2034 World Cup.

Stadiums & infrastructure

Stadiums in the top tier of Saudi Arabian football currently have an average capacity of 23,638, which is relatively lower compared to stadiums in large European countries such as Germany who boast an average of 48,649 and England with 37,559 . However, there are ambitious plans in motion to revamp the football infrastructure in Saudi Arabia. The nation is gearing up for a significant transformation ahead of hosting the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, as announced by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF).

The SAFF has unveiled plans to construct three brand-new stadiums and undertake major renovations for four existing ones. These efforts are seen as a crucial step in preparing for Asia's premier international football tournament. The proposed stadiums will be located in three key Saudi cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam. Notably, Riyadh Stadium, designed for the Asian Cup, will offer convenient access via the metro system and will prove as key stadiums for the 2034 world cup.

What can we expect from the tournament?

If the Qatar 2022 World Cup is any indication, we should all be eagerly anticipating the prospect of Saudi Arabia hosting the World Cup in 2034. The Middle East has unequivocally demonstrated its capability to deliver what many consider to be one of the greatest World Cups in history.

Here at Global 13, we are confident that over the next 11 years, Saudi Arabia will establish itself as a premier destination for sports events and tourism. We anticipate that the tournament will not only set new standards but also revolutionise the next generation of global sporting events. The infusion of cutting-edge technology and robust infrastructure into the planning and administration of the event is poised to redefine the landscape.

We eagerly await the announcement in 2024!