Saudi Arabia announces bid for 2034 World Cup: “Deep-rooted passion for football”

After cancellation for 2030

Shortly after the preliminary decision to award the 2030 World Cup, Saudi Arabia announced its bid for the subsequent finals in 2034. The national association SAFF announced this on Wednesday. The aim is to host a world-class tournament and “take inspiration from Saudi Arabia’s ongoing social and economic transformation and the country’s deep-rooted passion for football,” it said in a statement.

The FIFA Council announced on Wednesday that the 2030 World Cup would begin with three games in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay and then be played in Morocco, Spain and Portugal. The decision still needs to be confirmed by the FIFA Congress. At the same time, FIFA announced that only representatives from Asia and Oceania should apply for the 2034 World Cup in accordance with the rotation principle. This increases Saudi Arabia’s chances significantly.

The country is heavily criticized for violations of human rights. Saudi Arabia is accused of wanting to burnish its image by investing billions of dollars in sport. Just this summer, numerous soccer stars moved to the Saudi league for extremely high salaries.

The top entries of the Saudi Pro League 2023 with Neymar, Laporte & Co.

Musa Barrow | Bologna -> Al-Taawoun | Market value: €11 million

&copy IMAGO

Transfer fee: 8 million euros
As of September 7, 2023

Hassan Tambakti | Al-Shabab -> Al-Hilal | Transfer fee: €11.5 million

&copy IMAGO

Market value: €2 million

Juanmi | Betis Sevilla -> Al-Riyadh | Market value €12 million

&copy IMAGO

Rental fee: 1 million euros

Moussa Dembele | Lyon -> Al-Ettifaq | Market value: €12 million

&copy IMAGO

free of charge

Jordan Henderson | Liverpool -> Al-Ettifaq | Transfer fee: €14 million

&copy IMAGO

Market value: €10 million

N’Golo Kanté | Chelsea -> Ittihad Club | Market value: €15 million

&copy IMAGO

free of charge

Habib Diallo | RC Strasbourg -> Al-Shabab | Market value: €18 million

&copy IMAGO

Transfer fee: €18 million

Roberto Firmino | Liverpool -> Al Ahli | Market value: €18 million

&copy IMAGO

free of charge

Edouard Mendy | Chelsea -> Al-Ahli | Transfer fee: €18.5 million

&copy IMAGO

Market value: €12 million

Demarai Gray | Everton -> Al-Ettifaq | Market value: €20 million

&copy IMAGO

Transfer fee: €9.3 million

Merih Demiral | Atalanta -> Al-Ahli | Transfer fee: €20 million

&copy IMAGO

Market value: €20 million

Cristiano Ronaldo | without a club -> Al-Nassr | Market value: €20 million

&copy IMAGO

free of charge (in January 2023)

Bono | Sevilla FC -> Al-Hilal | Transfer fee: €23 million

&copy IMAGO

Market value: €12 million

Kalidou Koulibaly | Chelsea -> Al Hilal | Transfer fee: €23 million

&copy IMAGO

Market value: €15 million

Luiz Felipe | Real Betis -> Al-Ittihad | Transfer fee: 25 million euros

&copy IMAGO

Market value: €15 million

Karim Benzema | Real Madrid -> Ittihad Club | Market value: €25 million

&copy IMAGO

free of charge

Franck Kessie | Barça -> Al-Ahli SFC | Market value: €25 million

&copy IMAGO

Transfer fee: €12.5 million

Marcelo Brozovic | Inter -> Al-Nassr | Market value: €25 million

&copy IMAGO

Transfer fee: €18 million

Yannick Carrasco | Atlético -> Al-Shabab | Market value: €25 million

&copy IMAGO

Transfer fee: €15 million

Aymeric Laporte | Man City -> Al-Nassr | Transfer fee: 27.5 million euros

&copy IMAGO

Market value: €25 million

iota | Celtic -> Ittihad Club | Transfer fee: €29.1 million

&copy IMAGO

Market value: €25 million

Roger Ibanez | Roma -> Al-Ahli | Market value: €30 million

&copy IMAGO

Transfer fee: €28.5 million

Sadio Mane | Bavaria -> Al-Nassr | Transfer fee: €30 million

&copy IMAGO

Market value: €25 million

Seko Fofana | RC Lens -> Al-Nassr | Market value: €32 million

&copy IMAGO

Transfer fee: €19 million

Allan Saint Maximin | Newcastle -> Al-Ahli | Market value: €32 million

&copy IMAGO

Transfer fee: €27.2 million

Riyadh Mahrez | Man City -> Al-Ahli | Transfer fee: €35 million

&copy IMAGO

Market value: €20 million

Gabriel Veiga | Celta Vigo -> Al-Ahli | Transfer fee: €40 million

&copy IMAGO

Market value: 30 million euros

Fabinho | Liverpool -> Ittihad Club | Transfer fee: €46.7 million

&copy IMAGO

Market value: €42 million

Sergej Milinković-Savić | Lazio -> Al Hilal | Market value: €50 million

&copy IMAGO

Transfer fee: €40 million

Aleksandar Mitrovic | Fulham -> Al Hilal | Transfer fee: €53 million

&copy IMAGO

Market value: €28 million

Ruben Neves | Wolves -> Al-Hilal | Transfer fee: €55 million

&copy IMAGO

Market value: €40 million

Malcom | Zenit -> Al-Hilal | Transfer fee: €60 million

&copy IMAGO

Market value: €30 million

Otavio | Porto -> Al-Nassr | Transfer fee: €60 million

&copy IMAGO

Market value: €30 million

Neymar | PSG -> Al Hilal | Transfer fee: €90 million

&copy IMAGO

Market value: €60 million

Saudi Arabia originally wanted to host the 2030 World Cup. The country has already secured hosting of the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup and the 2027 Asian Cup. A Formula 1 race, boxing world championships and its own golf series as well as the Asian Winter Games in 2029 will also take place there.

To home page

ttn-38