Fifa confirms Saudi Arabia as 2034 World Cup host

Three matches in the 2030 tournament will also be held in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay to mark 100 years of the competition.

The hosts for both World Cups were confirmed at Wednesday’s Extraordinary Fifa Congress meeting following a vote.

All 211 of Fifa’s member nations were represented at the meeting over a video link.

The hosts for both tournaments, and of the 2030 centenary celebrations, were confirmed via two separate votes.

The first selected Uruguay, Paraguay and Argentina as the centenary hosts.

The second confirmed the three hosts for 2030, as well as Saudi Arabia being awarded the 2034 tournament.

Nations gave their votes by ‘acclamation’ – clapping in front of their cameras via their video links.

Norway opted to abstain from giving their approval for the 2034 tournament being awarded to Saudi Arabia because of the bidding process, not because Saudi Arabia were named hosts.

Switzerland also asked for their observations before the vote to be included in the meeting minutes.

In all three decisions just one voting option was available, shrouding the proceedings in controversy.

Saudi Arabia has been accused of ‘sportswashing’ in recent years – using its unprecedented spending on sport to improve the oil-producing kingdom’s reputation over its human rights record and environmental impact.

Of the 15 stadiums identified to hold matches at the 2034 World Cup, four have been built so far.