Saudi Arabia formally informs FIFA of its wish to host the 2034 World Cup as the favorite to win

Saudi Arabia has formally informed FIFA of its wish to host the men’s World Cup in 2034 in a bidding contest that increasingly looks designed for the oil-rich kingdom to win. The Saudi Arabian soccer federation says it “submitted a letter of intent and signed declaration to FIFA to bid” in a vote open only to Asian and Oceania countries. FIFA fast-tracked starting the 2034 contest last week after also agreeing to accept only one candidate for the 2030 World Cup. That unprecedented six-nation, three-continent co-hosting plan in Europe, Africa and South America removed those continents from bidding to get back-to-back tournaments.