Sending the World Cup to Saudi Arabia was the most seismic sporting announcement in a decade, but at Fifa HQ it was designed to seem like just an ordinary Wednesday. Behind firmly-closed doors, Gianni Infantino kicked off his 3pm work-from-home-style Zoom meeting presenting not to the great and good of football,

Saudi Arabia has been officially confirmed by FIFA as host of the 2034 World Cup in men’s soccer. 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.

FIFA's decision for Saudi Arabia to host the 2034 Men's World Cup, citing the country's human rights record and accusations of "sportswashing." Amb. Gerald M. Feierstein, director of the Arabian Peninsula Affairs Program at the Middle East Institute,

The win will kick off a decade of scrutiny on Saudi labor laws and treatment of workers mostly from South Asia needed to help build and upgrade 15 stadiums.

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

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,

FIFA officially announces Spain, Portugal, and Morocco for the 2030 World Cup and Saudi Arabia for 2034 amid global scrutiny. Human rights groups, including HRW, warn of an "unimaginable human cost" linked to Saudi Arabia hosting the event.