FIFA has verified that Saudi Arabia will host the men’s 2034 World Cup after receiving the sole bid for the tournament. Tuesday, hours before FIFA’s deadline for expressions of interest, Australia opted not to submit a proposal to host the tournament. Morocco, Portugal, and Spain are the only candidates for the 2030 tournament, which will also be held in Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. In late 2024, a FIFA congress will affirm the hosts.

Football Australia chief executive James Johnson said bidding for the World Cup wasn’t going to be favourable to Australia. He said: “Saudi is a strong bid. They have a lot of resources, and not just [for] the 2034 World Cup. “They are disrupting European football paying higher dollars. This is a disruption in the market and that is what positions Saudi in a strong way. From the government, top down they are prioritising investment in football. That is difficult to compete with.”

Source: https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/australia-will-not-bid-2034-world-cup-fa-2023-10-31/