Yasser Al Misehal’s statement has disappointed Indian sports lovers. There were reports less than a week ago that the All India Football Federation was intending to host a few games of the 2034 FIFA World Cup, for which Saudi Arabia was the lone bidder.
Saudi Arabian Football Federation president Yasser Al Misehal has put a stop to speculation that India could co-host the FIFA World Cup 2034, saying that the showpiece quadrennial tournament will be completely organized by Saudi Arabia.
“It’s going to be Saudi-only,” Al Misehal said in an interview, adding that with “a lot of cities and a lot of stadiums that we have, our plan now is just to be the sole host.”
The announcement came less than a week after allegations surfaced that the All India Football Federation (AIFF) was considering hosting a few FIFA World Cup matches in 2034.
AIFF president Kalyan Chaubey allegedly advised AIFF executive committee members that India should consider hosting a few World Cup matches in 2034.
However, with Al Misehal stating clearly that Saudi Arabia will be the sole host, AIFF’s ambitions appear unlikely to materialize.
The 48-team 2034 World Cup will have 104 matches, with the hope that a few of them, potentially as many as ten, could be held in India. “The president informed the house that India should think or plan to work towards being a co-host for the World Cup in 2034,” according to the draft minutes of the AIFF Executive Committee meeting on November 9.
After deciding to hold the 2030 World Cup on three continents (Africa, Europe, and South America), FIFA limited the eligibility of the 2034 World Cup to Asia or Oceania.
Saudi Arabia will also host the AFC Asian Cup in 2027, following India’s withdrawal from a bid to host the continental event.
