Australia pull out of bidding for the 2034 World Cup... leaving Saudi as the only potential hosts left in the running...
So sad to see.
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Australia opts not to bid for 2034 World Cup in boost for Saudi Arabia hopes':-
FA out of running after taking ‘all factors into consideration’
Interest in 2026 Women’s Asian Cup and 2029 Club World Cupwww.theguardian.com/football/2023/oct/31/australia-2034-fifa-world-cup-no-bid-declines-football-australia &
www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/67271423'A growing international bloc had thrown its weight behind a Saudi Arabia bid since Fifa announced the process for the 2034 tournament earlier this month. The tournament in 11 years will be hosted by a country in the Asian confederation, of which Australia is a part.
Within hours of Fifa’s announcement, Saudi Arabia issued its declaration of interest, and the president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa, expressed his support for the country’s bid soon after.
Since then various federations have issued public statements of support, including Australia’s neighbour Indonesia. The AFC held its extraordinary congress where associations including Japan, Uzbekistan and India backed the Saudi bid.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino addressed the same meeting and called for “unity” among members. “You have a responsibility in this respect, you play an important role in this unity of the world, so I count on you in this respect,” he said.
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation has declared it now has support from over 100 of Fifa’s 211 member associations, which will vote to determine the host next year if a second bidder does emerge.'
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Saudi Arabia confirmed as sole bidder for 2034 men’s football World Cup':-
Fifa urged to pull plug if human rights commitments not met
Second World Cup in the Gulf in 12 years all but a formalitywww.theguardian.com/football/2023/oct/31/saudi-arabia-2034-mens-world-cup-human-rights'Saudi Arabia was confirmed on Tuesday as the sole bidder to host the 2034 men’s World Cup, raising concerns over Fifa’s ability to deliver on its human rights commitments.
After Australia decided against a bid, having been given a 25-day deadline by Fifa to express interest after the deadline was unexpectedly brought forward to 4pm GMT on Tuesday, the prospect of a second World Cup in the Gulf within 12 years is all but a formality. The lack of a competitive tender and the alacrity with which the process has been conducted, however, have prompted alarm among human rights groups. Amnesty International called on Fifa to pull the plug if human rights commitments were not fulfilled.
“Human rights commitments must be agreed with potential hosts before final decisions on holding the tournaments are made,” Steve Cockburn, Amnesty’s head of economic and social justice, said. “Fifa must now make clear how it expects hosts to comply with its human rights policies. It must also be prepared to halt the bidding process if serious human rights risks are not credibly addressed.
“The best chance for Fifa to obtain binding guarantees to protect workers’ rights, ensure freedom of expression and prevent discrimination linked to the World Cup is during the host selection process – not after the hosts have been confirmed and tournament preparation has begun.”'
This despite the recent revelations that Saudi border guards have engaged in an ongoing campaign of torture, rape, and killings of people attempting to cross it's border...
www.hrw.org/news/2023/08/21/saudi-arabia-mass-killings-migrants-yemen-borderwww.france24.com/en/middle-east/20230821-crimes-beyond-imagination-saudi-border-guards-killed-hundreds-of-migrants-hrw-report-sayswww.reuters.com/world/middle-east/saudi-border-guards-killed-hundreds-ethiopian-migrants-hrw-says-2023-08-21www.theguardian.com/law/2023/aug/21/fired-on-like-rain-saudi-border-guards-accused-of-mass-killings-of-ethiopianswww.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/08/21/saudi-arabia-human-rights-watch-yemen-ethiopiahttps://edition.cnn.com/2023/08/21/middleeast/saudi-yemen-border-ethiopian-migrants-hrw-mime-intl/index.htmlSportswashing in action. Unquestioned and unopposed. Enabled and sanctioned by FIFA.
'The biggest stitch-up in sports history. With Australia out of the way, with no debate, no vote, but plenty of backroom deals, Infantino's Fifa will hand out the 2034 WC to Saudi Arabia today. Shame on the FAs enabling this, France, England & Home Nations very much included.'
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https://twitter.com/PhilippeAuclair/status/1719287327216783851'
Saudi Arabia’s clear path to World Cup shows power of Fifa and Infantino':-
Saudi Arabia hosting the 2034 tournament has quickly become a certainty, even as the Gulf state’s wider ambitions remain unclearwww.theguardian.com/football/2023/oct/31/saudi-arabias-unobstructed-world-cup-path-displays-fifa-and-infantinos-power'Last month Prince Mohammed declared his enthusiasm for the process of sportswashing as long as it meant he could “increase my GDP by way of 1%”.'