Where to host World Cup 2030 | Saudi Arabia's chances
Several countries have announced their readiness to host World Cup 2030. Which Saudi bid will win the bid to host the World Cup 2030?
Who Will Get the Rights to Host the World Cup 2030
The FIFA World Cup 2030 will be a special one. The 24th Mundial will take place exactly a hundred years after the first one. According to the tournament formula, 48 national teams will qualify for the final.
In October 2019, FIFA ruled that candidates can apply to host the 2030 World Cup in 2022. The final vote will take place during the 74th FIFA Congress, which is scheduled for 2024. Two months after the start of the bid process, seven nations have responded to the proposal.
Morocco
The representatives of Morocco were the first to send a formal proposal to the world football federation. This happened back in 2018, before the official launch of the application process.
Spain and Portugal
Spain and Portugal were the next to join forces. Already today, these 2 countries have stadiums ready to host the tournament at this level. The total number of bids includes 14 arenas, three of which are located in Portugal.
According to the president of the Spanish football federation Luis Rubiales, this joint project is very important for both countries. The official noted that football was one of the tools that helped overcome the difficult moments of the coronavirus pandemic. Rubiales described Portugal as the best possible partner and pledged full cooperation with the country's football federation.
UEFA president Alexander Ceferin has also expressed his support for the Spanish-Portuguese project. The European football federation will offer its full support to the project.
Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina and Chile
South America's bid is even more impressive in terms of host countries. Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay are all considering co-hosting the World Cup. These countries have organized a campaign to promote the project under the name "Together 2030".
The Latin American bid was officially launched in Montevideo, the capital of Uruguay, at the legendary Centenario Stadium. It was here that the first final match in the history of the Mundial was played in 1930. The hosts, represented by the Uruguayan team, crushed the Argentines 4-2.
Saudi Arabia, Greece and Egypt
News of a joint bid by countries representing three different continents first emerged in the media in September 2022. There is a good chance that this unusual project will soon be officially announced.
Negotiations between the countries involved the highest political ranks. According to the agreements, Saudi Arabia is ready to take over some of the financial obligations of the other two countries. So far, the bid appears to be the most serious rival to the Spanish and Portuguese proposals. There is reason to believe that the proposal will gain the support of the African and Asian confederations, as well as some European states.
The 2022 World Cup in Qatar will be the first ever winter tournament in the history of the World Cups. A similar story will be drawn if the 2030 World Cup goes to Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Greece. Representatives of the five strongest European football championships will probably oppose the idea of holding the World Cup in the colder months. They will be forced to break the calendar of their championships with a month-long pause.
The problem is not just that the tournament could take place in winter. Saudi Arabia, Greece and Egypt are far apart. Human rights activists from Amnesty International have spoken out against holding the tournament in Saudi Arabia. They have expressed the opinion that it is almost impossible to hold the 2030 World Cup in the region. Amnesty International justified its position with violations of human rights. The organisation demands that FIFA adheres to human rights standards and takes them into account when reviewing a bid from Saudi Arabia.
FIFA's Position
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has no intention of supporting any of the bids received. The football official has already held a meeting with officials from Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Greece.
Infantino said in the spring of 2021 that he would treat all applicants neutrally. He expressed delight at the interest in hosting the 2030 World Cup from England and its Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The FIFA boss believes that a greater number of candidates makes the voting process more fair and transparent.
Spain and Portugal's bid looks preferable at the moment. There is no doubt that hosting the 2030 Winter World Cup in Saudi Arabia would be an event for the Asian continent. There are many football fans in that part of the world. Some of them are active sports betting.
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