Within minutes of FIFA’s invitation for applications from nations in the Asia and Oceania region, Saudi Arabia declared it would make a bid to host the 2034 World Cup.

The Saudi FA said in a statement that the bid for 2034, which is being led by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), “intends to deliver a world-class tournament and will draw inspiration from Saudi Arabia’s ongoing social and economic transformation and the country’s deep-rooted passion for football.”

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“Saudi Arabia’s inaugural FIFA World Cup bid is supported by the nation’s growing experience hosting top-tier football competitions and its ongoing plans to welcome fans from around the world to the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup and 2027 AFC Asian Cup,” the FIFA website states.

Shortly after FIFA announced Morocco, Spain, and Portugal as the hosts of the 2030 World Cup, with Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay hosting the first matches to commemorate the tournament’s 100th anniversary, came the Saudi announcement.

Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, president of the Asian Football Confederation, applauded FIFA’s announcement that the 2034 World Cup will take place in Asia or Oceania.

“We strongly believe it paves the way for a more equitable opportunity for all confederations to bid for, and host, the prestigious FIFA World Cup – the pinnacle of world men’s football,” he said.

The 48-team 2026 World Cup will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico as its hosts.

Top footballers like Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Karim Benzema recently agreed to lucrative contracts with Saudi Pro League teams.