The FIFA World Cup is arguably the most important sporting event in the world. Every four years, millions of fans from all corners of the globe turn their attention to this tournament, which brings together the best soccer teams and players. With so much attention on the event, the choice of host nation is always a matter of great significance. On Wednesday, the joint organization of the 2030 World Cup, alongside Saudi Arabia’s selection as host of the 2034 World Cup, was confirmed. President Gianni Infantino took the opportunity to explain FIFA’s rationale behind the decisions.
“In a divided world, we have shown unity,” Infantino said during his closing speech at the Extraordinary FIFA Congress 2024. “We are all part of one global community. We are not all equal. We know that, but we are learning to accept each other with our differences as part of this one global community.”
This message aligns with FIFA’s broader strategy of taking the World Cup to regions that have historically been overlooked. Until the turn of the 21st century, all World Cups were held in either Europe or the Americas. However, in recent decades, FIFA has expanded its reach with tournaments held in Asia (2002 and 2022) and Africa (2010), and will continue to do so.
“We are inclusive, and we are non-discriminatory. We want to obtain positive social impact,” Infantino continued. “This is what we expect and what we look forward to: social improvements, positive human rights impacts. That is one of the responsabilities of hosting a World Cup.”
A drone show is seen displaying the words “Welcome to Saudi 34” as Saudi Arabia is announced as the host nation for the FIFA World Cup 2034 on December 11, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The next world cups
The Extraordinary FIFA Congress 2024 was tasked with selecting the hosts for the next two editions of the World Cup. In addition to Saudi Arabia being confirmed as the host for the 2034 tournament, it was also announced that the 100th anniversary celebration of the competition in 2030 will be a joint effort among six countries.
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This historic decision reflects a desire to honor the first World Cup, which was held in Uruguay in 1930. To commemorate this milestone, the opening matches will take place in Uruguay, alongside Argentina and Paraguay. The tournament will then shift primarily to Spain, with some matches also hosted in Portugal and Morocco. This makes the 2030 World Cup the first to span three continents.
Criticism of FIFA
The choice of venues for some major tournaments, the introduction of new competitions, and the growing saturation of the international soccer calendar have all been sources of criticism for FIFA in recent years. Acknowledging these concerns, Gianni Infantino responded to detractors during his address.
“We are, of course, aware of critics and fears,” the FIFA president stated. “And I fully trust our hosts to address all open points from this process and deliver a FIFA World Cup that meets the world’s expectations. That is exactly why we went through this bidding procedure and why we have a transparency that will shape real and lasting change.”
Infantino concluded with a powerful statement about the significance of these tournaments, beyond the game itself. “The FIFA World Cup is unique. And it is a unique catalyst as well for positive social change and unity because these tournaments, 2030, the (centenary) celebration, and 2034, they are tournaments to unite not to divide, and, of course, tournaments to discuss, debate and act.”
