SAUDI ARABIA have launched their bid to host the 2034 World Cup – which includes a new $1trillion megacity as host.
The city of Neom was announced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2017 as part of the country’s Vision 2030, with the aim to complete construction by the end of the decade.
The megacity will have a floating industrial centre and port city, as well as a ski resort called Trojena which has already been awarded the 2029 Asian Winter Games.
An airport will be built and also the Line: a 110-mile, 500m tall and 200m wide mirrored megastructure that will connect Neom, located near the Red Sea, to the rest of the kingdom.
Saudi chiefs have begun to sound out senior figures in European football to secure backing for their bid, report The Times.
It is also claimed the Saudis are hopeful of staging the tournament in the summer, with high-altitude venues an option under consideration.
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However a winter tournament has also not been ruled out and could take place between November and December, as Qatar 2022 did.
But there is apprehension over the bid with European states concerned over Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.
Saudi had hoped to garner support by withdrawing from the running to host the 2030 tournament, with the joint bid from Spain, Portugal and Morocco believed to be the current frontrunner.
And while that effort is believed to have been unsuccessful, the Saudis have made contact with other confederations to secure support.
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That includes the signing “memorandums of understanding” with the African and Oceanic confederations as well as numerous national federations including Ecuador, Ghana, India and Singapore.
But even if successful a Saudi Arabia bid would likely face backlash from the wider football community similar to that of Qatar due to the country’s human rights record and criminalisation of homosexuality.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
