Current:Home > Contact-usSaudi Arabia becomes sole bidder for 2034 World Cup after Australia drops out-LoTradeCoin
Saudi Arabia becomes sole bidder for 2034 World Cup after Australia drops out
View Date:2024-12-26 02:02:05
Football Australia has announced it will not be hosting the 2034 World Cup, hours before FIFA's deadline for bids passed — paving the way for Saudi Arabia to do so.
"We have explored the opportunity to bid to host the FIFA World Cup and – having taken all factors into consideration – we have reached the conclusion not to do so for the 2034 competition," a statement from the country's sports governing body read.
Instead, Football Australia will focus on hosting the AFC Women's Asian Cup 2026 as well as the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup.
"For international tournament hosting, the Australian time zones provide significant opportunities for broadcasters, and we are within touching distance of billions of people in Asia and Oceania, which also helps to provide a strong commercial outlook for competitions," Football Australia said.
FIFA had previously announced that the tournament would take place in either Asia or Oceania and Tuesday was the last day for countries to submit a bid. Australia's decision to pull out leaves Saudi Arabia as the only declared candidate.
The Gulf country has made its interest in hosting the 2034 tournament well-known, getting support from members of the Asian Football Confederation, including Indonesia, Uzbekistan, Lebanon, India and Japan, reported The Associated Press earlier this month.
"Japan has a plan to host the FIFA World Cup by 2050 but now it's time for Asia to get united and make a single bid [for 2034]," Japanese federation official Tsuneyasu Miyamoto said, praising Saudi Arabia for a "long football history, massive passion and a wonderful vision for 2034."
Despite such strong support, Saudi Arabia will likely be viewed as a controversial host, with human rights organizations preemptively decrying the move.
Human Rights Watch published a post on its website last week, decrying the possible — now likely — 2034 host.
"The possibility that FIFA could award Saudi Arabia the 2034 World Cup despite its appalling human rights record and closed door to any monitoring exposes Fifa's commitments to human rights as a sham," said Minky Worden, director of global initiatives.
On Tuesday, Amnesty International pushed for "human rights commitments" with any potential hosts before a final decision is made.
"FIFA must now make clear how it expects hosts to comply with its human rights policies," Steve Cockburn, the charity's head of economic and social justice, said. "It must also be prepared to halt the bidding process if serious human rights risks are not credibly addressed.
"The best chance for FIFA to obtain binding guarantees to protect workers' rights, ensure freedom of expression and prevent discrimination linked to the World Cup is during the host selection process — not after the hosts have been confirmed and tournament preparation has begun."
The country draws frequent criticism for its prolific use of the death penalty, executing 147 people last year, according to an AFP tally. Eighty-one people were put to death on a single day for offenses related to "terrorism," sparking an international outcry.
The 2018 killing of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a prominent critic of the Saudi government, hurt the country's reputation.
Michael RoppoloMichael Roppolo is a CBS News reporter. He covers a wide variety of topics, including science and technology, crime and justice, and disability rights.
TwitterveryGood! (451)
Related
- Opinion: Chris Wallace leaves CNN to go 'where the action' is. Why it matters
- One killed after bus hijacked at gunpoint in Los Angeles, police chase
- Biography of 18th century poet Phillis Wheatley is winner of George Washington Prize
- New York court is set to hear Donald Trump’s appeal of his $489 million civil fraud verdict
- Nevada Democrats keep legislative control but fall short of veto-proof supermajority
- Philadelphia police exhume 8 bodies from a potter’s field in the hope DNA testing can help ID them
- Ellen DeGeneres says she went to therapy amid toxic workplace scandal in final comedy special
- Will Young Voters’ Initial Excitement for Harris Build Enough Momentum to Get Them to the Polls?
- A $1 billion proposal is the latest plan to refurbish and save the iconic Houston Astrodome
- Trump says Ukraine is ‘dead’ and dismisses its defense against Russia’s invasion
Ranking
- NCT DREAM enters the 'DREAMSCAPE': Members on new album, its concept and songwriting
- WNBA playoff games today: What to know for Sun vs. Fever, Lynx vs. Mercury on Wednesday
- Celebrate local flavors with tickets to the USA TODAY Wine & Food Experience
- Evacuation order remains in effect for Ohio town where dangerous chemical leak occurred
- California farmers enjoy pistachio boom, with much of it headed to China
- After Marcellus Williams is executed in Missouri, a nation reacts
- U.S. wrestler Alan Vera dies at 33 after suffering cardiac arrest during soccer game
- Former Detroit-area mayor pleads guilty in scheme to cash in on land deal
Recommendation
-
Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, 4G
-
One killed after bus hijacked at gunpoint in Los Angeles, police chase
-
There's NIL and Pac-12 drama plus an Alabama-Georgia showdown leading the College Football Fix
-
A Missouri man has been executed for a 1998 murder. Was he guilty or innocent?
-
2025 NFL Draft order: Updated first round picks after Week 10 games
-
Aaron Hernandez ‘American Sports Story’ series wants to show a different view of the disgraced NFLer
-
Deion Sanders, Colorado's 'Florida boys' returning home as heavy underdogs at Central Florida
-
The price of gold keeps climbing to unprecedented heights. Here’s why