Saudi Arabia Confirmed As Hosts For 2034 FIFA World Cup

FIFA president Gianni Infantino made the announcement at an extraordinary congress on Wednesday.

Saudi Arabia's bid was unopposed and they will become the second Middle Eastern nation to host FIFA's flagship tournament after Qatar hosted the 2022 World Cup which was won by Argentina.

At the same congress, Spain, Portugal and Morocco were confirmed as hosts for the 2030 World Cup, with the first three matches set to take place in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay to mark the 100th anniversary of the tournament.

USA, Canada and Mexico are due to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Saudi Arabia winning the 2034 bid is poised to cause concern due to the oil-rich nation's poor human rights record.

Responding to the announcement, England's FA said in a statement: "After a careful review of both proposals, we supported the two World Cup bids - from Spain/Portugal/Morocco in 2030, and Saudi Arabia in 2034. Both bids are technically strong and meet the Fifa criteria to host the men's World Cup.

"Our focus is on ensuring that all our fans can attend and enjoy tournaments."