The Saudi bid was the only candidate and was acclaimed by the applause of more than 200 FIFA member federations.

Within days, Saudi had the key backing of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), scuppering any faint prospect of Australia teaming up with Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. That gave Saudi a free run at 2034, and the Australians duly bowed out of what can barely be called a race.

Many are intrigued by Saudi Arabia’s successful bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup. This event marks a milestone for the Middle Eastern nation and showcases its rising presence in global sports. However,