FIFA names Saudi Arabia as 2034 World Cup host; Spain, Portugal and Morocco to co-host 2030 edition

Fantastic for world soccer. The future is here now. Hopefully more teams from Asia will be able to qualify. Europe and South America have too many slots for a smaller population than Asia.

Wrong choose. Wrong country. Wrong climate. Wrong culture. Wrong everything.

Fantastic for world soccer. The future is here now. Hopefully more teams from Asia will be able to qualify. Europe and South America have too many slots for a smaller population than Asia.

Sure! Let's expand from 8 to 24 teams from Asia, so China has a better chance of qualifying!

I agree with Wallace - this is a bad choice - but 100 percent expected with SA being the only candidate.

Fifa didn't even bother to hide the corruption this time

I am ashamed to say, but even though it makes my sick I'll watch it

Did they not learn anything from the Quatar debacle? But, I guess Saudi Arabia has plenty of money and that is what matters to FIFA.

Money talks......

Social media is having fun with this one. "Do losing teams get beheaded?"

Congratulations to Saudi Arabia. Wishing footballers, fans, organizers, and all stake holders in the creation of the infrastructure - a level playing field.

Social media is having fun with this one. "Do losing teams get beheaded?

Saw a few old ones being dusted off. Saudi Arabia will beheading for a first round exit etc.

Wrong choose. Wrong country. Wrong climate. Wrong culture. Wrong everything

That’s about it. It is hard to find a positive.

Anyone got any ideas?

fighto!: "Sure! Let's expand from 8 to 24 teams from Asia, so China has a better chance of qualifying!"

What's the threat? If they suck, which they do, they'll still lose out in the elimination round.

Look... the Asian group is pretty much the weakest group out of them all, with Africa a close second, so they don't really need more than eight spots. But the number of spots for the other regions (Europe, Americas) is WAY too competitive for the small amount of spots they have, so if they go up for those, they should go up for all, and vice versa. Besides, soccer has clearly become just about money, and China is paying a massive amount, so like Saudi Arabia here, they should get some say in it.

Did they not learn anything from the Quatar debacle? But, I guess Saudi Arabia has plenty of money and that is what matters to FIFA.

They learnt alright. It's all about the CAAAASH!

Fantastic for world soccer. The future is here now. Hopefully more teams from Asia will be able to qualify. Europe and South America have too many slots for a smaller population than Asia.

Actually it's horrible for world football, and even worse for most of Asia. The World Cup was going to be played in Asia or Oceania anyway, unless FIFA was going to change the rules (They will for 2038 since only Oceania (without Australia, since that's part of the Asian Football Federation) and North&Central America can get it then. Which would most likely mean another US/Canada/Mexico WC. ) FIFA suddenly changed the deadline, without that a Australia/New Zealand bid was not unlikely. a combined South East Asia bid, China at times had shown some interest. FIFA clearly wanted it in Saudi Arabia from the start, adding 3 games to South America in 2030, left only Asia and Oceania, Saudi money probably took care of not getting some other countries interested, last danger Australia was then eliminated with the sped up deadline.

Look... the Asian group is pretty much the weakest group out of them all, with Africa a close second, so they don't really need more than eight spots. But the number of spots for the other regions (Europe, Americas) is WAY too competitive for the small amount of spots they have,

Actually the Asian teams aren't the weakest. They have been stronger than Concacaf in the last World Cups. And more importantly they have more depth. Not by much, but a bit.

As for South America, no, qualification really isn't too competitive. They will get 6 out of 10 teams directly to the World Cup. With a 7th possible in intercontinental playoffs.

I'd agree that there should be more intercontinental qualification, Asia for example instead of 8 sure spots +1 possible, should get something like 5 sure ones and 10 teams that then have a chance vs other federations, so 5-15 instead of 8-9, similar for all other federations. Fewer safe spots, more to be gained in intercontinental playoffs. But unlikely to happen anytime soon.