Saudi Arabia has officially launched its campaign to host the FIFA World Cup in 2034, for which it is the only candidate anyway.
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) presented the slogan "Growing. Together" and its candidacy logo, which features intertwined multicolored ribbons depicting the numbers 3 and 4 and adorned with "football images and cultural symbols", SAFF explained in a press release.
This candidacy "was only made possible by the rapid transformation of the country", the words of the president of the Saudi Football Federation Yasser Al Misehal.
He fits into Saudi Arabia's politics of influence through sport, which is part of the vast "Vision 2030" project led by Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia is the only country in contention to host the World Cup in 2034, after the Argentina-Uruguay-Paraguay-Chile quartet withdrew.
The top three countries will each host one match of the 2030 World Cup, co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
Australia also withdrew its candidacy for 2034 on 31 October.
The 2034 World Cup host country will be announced in late 2024.
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