Saudi Arabia forging network to bid for 2030 World Cup

Saudi Arabia recently won the right to host the FIFA2023 Club World Cup, but its ambitions are even greater; the country is now seeking to bring home the rights to host the 2030 World Cup. This is despite the fact that the world governing body (FIFA) appears unlikely to approve another World Cup in the Arab world just eight years after Qatar hosted the 2022 edition of the tournament. This is why Riyadh is aiming for a joint bid with Egypt and Greece, with the thinking being that the idea of a three-continent bid would increase its chances of winning. 

'Examining possibilities'  

While he did confirm that talks have been held, when asked about the issue by DW, Greek Sports Minister Lefteris Avgenakis was noncommittal. 

"The talks are still at an early stage of examining possibilities for submitting a bid," he said, far from gushing over the possibility of Greece hosting one of the world's biggest sporting events.

As things stand, Greece would hardly be in an ideal position to do so. Just one venue, the 2004 Olympic Stadium, would currently meet FIFA's requirements for hosting World Cup matches.  While Panathinaikos and PAOK are currently building new arenas, these will not have the minimum 40,000 capacity required by FIFA. This means that it would take a massive investment for Greece to meet the requirements of hosting a World Cup. 

However, according to media reports, Saudi Arabia has made Greece and Egypt an enticing offer – to cover all such costs if the two countries agree to become part of a joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup. 

Egyptian pride an obstacle? 

"Egypt is absolutely capable of hosting such a big tournament – be it in terms of infrastructure, stadiums or transportation," Ahmed Abbas told DW. The player agent, who has close ties to the Egyptian Football Association, declined to comment on possible World Cup plans. 

"Egypt also has experience hosting such major events," Abbas stressed, referring to the fact that the state of 100 million people has hosted the Africa Cup of Nations as recently as 2019. 

Egypt's ambition to host even bigger sporting events is epitomized by the country's new, as yet unnamed, administrative capital, which is currently under construction about 50 kilometers (31 miles) east of Cairo. This project includes a sports complex that Egypt hopes will host the venues for the 2036 Olympic Games. The almost-completed main stadium has a capacity of around 94,000 spectators, making it the second largest in Africa. So, the biggest hurdle to a World Cup bid may not be organizational, but Egyptian pride. 

"It would be Saudi Arabia that would host most of the World Cup games," noted Majid al-Khulaifi, editor-in-chief of Qatar's Doha Stadium newspaper, referring to the three countries' different financial clout. 

In other words, Egypt, would be very much a junior partner, like Canada and Mexico as joint hosts of the 2026 World Cup, which will mainly take place in the United States.  

A matter of timing? 

Greece is also not without reservations, which may be why the government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has been playing down the issue in light of the upcoming parliamentary elections. If Mitsotakis is reelected in the April vote, there will be a good chance that Greece will get behind a joint bid to host the World Cup. 

Mitsotakis also happens to have a good relationship with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who visited him in Athens last year – in the Saudi ruler's first visit to Europe since the murder of Jamal Khashoggi four years ago. 

The two countries have established close military cooperation and have expressed a desire to expand ties to other fields. One of the flagship projects is the submarine and land cable (East To Med Data Corridor) for data transmission between Greece and Saudi Arabia. Incidentally, an undersea power line will soon also connect Greece with Egypt, the other possible World Cup partner. 

The Hellenic Football Federation (HFF) wouldn't stand in the way of a joint bid either.

"If the prime minister so decides, I will sign the candidacy with both hands," HFF President Takes Baltakos said. 

FIFA and human rights 

However, it remains unclear when the bidding process will officially start.  A FIFA spokesperson told DW that the details of the bidding process and a timetable were expected to be announced in a few months' time. The preconditions are to include stipulations regarding human rights – a possible sore point for Saudi Arabia. The winner is to be decided at the 2024 FIFA Congress in Osaka. 

If the three countries do go ahead and launch a joint bid, they will be facing stiff competition from South America. Former World Cup champions Argentina, Uruguay, Chile and Paraguay have already announced their joint bid. The fact that this will be the 100th anniversary of the first World Cup – hosted by Uruguay in 1930 – won't hurt their chances.  

Still, journalist Majid al-Khulaifi, who interviewed FIFA President Gianni Infantino in Qatar, believes that Saudi Arabia has a good chance of winning. He points to the process, in which all 211 FIFA members get a vote in an open election. 

"It's a smart choice to go with Greece and Egypt as organizers," he said, noting that Egypt has strong ties in Africa and the Arab world.  Moreover, he noted, a joint bid as opposed to that of a single country would appear to be in keeping with Infantino's goal "to spread the game further." 

No matter who wins the bid to host the 2030 World Cup, they will need to have plenty of financial clout – and influence. Saudi Arabia has already shown that it meets those requirements.

This article was adapted from German.