The 2034 FIFA Men's World Cup is headed to Saudi Arabia after they emerged as the sole bidder in the running to host.
On Tuesday, FIFA confirmed Saudi Arabia would stage the 2034 tournament following Australia's withdrawal from contention. That left the Saudis with a clear path as the only option left.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino promptly awarded the hosting rights to Saudi Arabia via Instagram. He stated the typical bidding process and vote would be bypassed given the circumstances.
Saudi Arabia's World Cup destiny was all but sealed back in October. That's when the 2030 edition was awarded to the Spain/Portugal/Morocco joint bid instead.
Rotational requirements prohibited fellow regions Europe, Africa, South America, and 2026 hosts North America from bidding. This narrowed the field to the Middle East and Oceania.
After Australia opted not to submit a bid, Saudi Arabia stood alone as the obvious choice.
Securing the World Cup represents the culmination of Saudi Arabia's recent sports takeover. They've invested billions into events like golf's controversial LIV tournament.
Some view this World Cup bid as 'sportswashing' - using high-profile sports to distract from human rights controversies.
Nonetheless, the 2034 World Cup heading to Saudi Arabia for the first time completes the nation's ambitious sporting vision.
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