GENEVA (AP) — FIFA’s search for hosts of the 2030 men’s World Cup was postponed Friday after it failed to agree on the rules of the crusade bid and the date of the final vote.
The vote of around two hundred FIFA member associations was moved to the last quarter of 2024 instead of an assembly previously scheduled for September next year.
The bid rules will be resolved at a FIFA council assembly before the end of October, football’s governing body said, and “the bid procedure will be officially presented thereafter. “
FIFA has detailed the fundamental needs for the tournament of 48 teams and 104 matches: 14 stadiums, of which seven can be new structure projects; “explicit public commitments” to human rights and climate action; employee protections; and “not interfering with news hounds and human rights defenders” involved in World Cup-related work.
A speculated plan for 2030 gave the impression of failure this week when Greek media reported that a Saudi-led co-hosting proposal that included Egypt would not be approved.
Saudi football officials had not publicly shown what would have been an unprecedented accommodation plan on three continents, in line with the kingdom’s competitive spending ambitions in world football. A bid for the 2034 World Cup was seen as a more likely goal.
However, Saudi involvement can still revive even if it meant bringing the World Cup back to Asia just 8 years after Qatar hosted in 2022, and most likely in November-December in the middle of the European club season.
Europe has long been committed to putting forward a bid for the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal, and this allocation has added Morocco’s close neighbour to Africa. Ukraine is also in this offer.
South America will also host the Centennial World Cup, with Uruguay, the original host in 1930, in a four-nation bid with Argentina, Chile and Paraguay.
Even if the South American bid loses, Uruguay can still be revered as the inaugural host by hosting some of the 104 matches that will be held at Montevideo’s Estadio Centenario itself.
FIFA said on Friday it was seeking “further consultations with all key stakeholders (for the 2030 World Cup) which will mark the centenary of men’s football’s flagship tournament. “
WOMEN’S WORLD CUP
Voting for the 2027 Women’s World Cup is scheduled for May 17 next year and FIFA said its annual assembly on the host will be held in Bangkok.
The 4 applicants are Brazil; South Africa; a European co-host offer from Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands; and a U. S. -Mexico offer.
The United States, Mexico and Canada will host the first 48-team men’s World Cup in 2026, and FIFA will also award the 2025 Club World Cup to the United States on Friday as a verification event.
The newly expanded 32-team club tournament may also split some games with Canada and Mexico.
INDONESIA
FIFA awarded another men’s tournament through the organization by age to Indonesia as host just 3 months after it was stripped of the U-20 Men’s World Cup because the Muslim-majority country objected to Israel playing.
Indonesia will host the U-17 Men’s World Cup in November, for which Israel did not qualify. This tournament withdrew from Peru in April because its arrangements were delayed.
Indonesia and Peru were selected 4 years ago for the respective 2021 editions of those tournaments that were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In the 2024 Women’s Youth Tournaments, Colombia has been selected to host the U-20 Women’s World Cup and the Dominican Republic will host the U-17 Women’s World Cup.
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