Shafaqna English- FIFA named Saudi Arabia as hosts for 2034 World Cup. The decision was confirmed on Wednesday (11 Dec 2024) in a virtual congress of FIFA’s 211 members, a meeting plagued by technical difficulties and with its key decisions taken not by vote but by acclamation, a collective clapping of hands on a wall of video screens.
Also confirmed was the destination of the 2030 World Cup, which will be hosted by Morocco, Spain and Portugal, with three “centenary celebration matches” in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay to launch the tournament.
FIFA’s President Gianni Infantino said that the process of deciding hosts without a vote had “shown unity” in the football community. “In a divided world you have shown unity, you have shown that we are part of a global community,” he said. “We are not all equal, we know that, but we are learning to live with our differences and to respect each other.
“We are of course aware of critics and fears. I fully trust our hosts to address all open points and I fully expect them to deliver tournaments that meet the world’s expectations. This is what we expect and look forward to: social improvements, positive human rights impacts. The world will be watching and it is positive that the unique spotlight of the World Cup is on what can and should be improved so that this can be addressed effectively and we can have real and lasting change.”
Source: The Guardian