The 2030 and 2034 World Cups will be awarded on Wednesday afternoon. As controversial as the choice is, the outcome is clear. The 2030 tournament will go to a sextet, the 2034 tournament to Saudi Arabia.
11.12.2024, 05:00
11.12.2024, 08:46
SDA
FIFA President Gianni Infantino's plan has worked. It is a political coup that the man from Valais has pulled off. Because the 2026 World Cup was awarded to North America and the 2030 World Cup will take place on three continents, the way is clear for Saudi Arabia.
The non-prescribed but expected rotation between the continents will be adhered to. Only Oceania could have stood in the way of an Asian bid. But Australia withdrew its candidacy before the deadline. Twelve years after Qatar, the next country from the Middle East will make its move. The established rotation principle, which stipulates that the continental association hosting a World Cup must sit out twice, is adhered to.
Criticism, but no competition
FIFA's decision to hold only one vote shows how closely the one is linked to the other in the whole procedure. There is only a yes or no to the whole plan. Anyone who approves the 2030 World Cup in Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Morocco, Portugal and Spain also gives their OK for Saudi Arabia 2034 and vice versa. The FIFA statutes had to be amended last May for the double award, which was not difficult as so many continental associations benefit from the solution found.
211 member associations will vote on the World Cup awards via an online platform at around 3 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon. A unanimous vote in favor of FIFA's proposal is expected. Although there are many critical voices, including from the Swiss Football Association, there is no competition for the designated World Cup hosts. For this reason, the award is also likely to be made by acclamation.
Six organizers for Saudi Arabia
There are a number of questions about the two planned World Cups. In the case of Saudi Arabia, they concern human rights. The country is "even more repressive" than Qatar, according to an assessment by Amnesty International. In its evaluation report on the bid, FIFA sees only a medium risk in terms of human rights issues. The bid received an exceptionally good FIFA rating, although eleven of the 15 stadiums in five cities still need to be built.
The 2030 World Cup will be the tournament of long distances: The opening match in Uruguay's capital Montevideo, followed by one match each in Buenos Aires and Asuncion, before the rest of the tournament takes place across the Atlantic in Morocco, Portugal and Spain. Last year, the FIFA Council combined the two bids, satisfying the 2030 hosts, all six of whom qualify directly for the tournament.
