Football Australia, state and federal governments and potential Asian co-hosts have been given just 25 days by Fifa to decide whether they will bid for the 2034 men’s World Cup.
The tight timeline was revealed on the same day an intention to host the tournament was announced by Saudi Arabia, which received the backing of Asia’s most powerful football administrator.
Fifa released the bid timeline for the 2034 tournament early on Thursday morning, setting a deadline of 31 October for potential bids to confirm their interest. The 2034 men’s World Cup has been allocated by Fifa to bidders from Asia and Oceania.
Football Australia chief executive, James Johnson, said his organisation is “exploring the possibility” of a 2034 bid.
“We acknowledge Fifa’s communication regarding the Fifa World Cup 2034 and we are encouraged that after the hugely successful Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022 and Fifa Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023, the football family of Asia and Oceania will once again have the opportunity to showcase their ability to welcome the world and host the best Fifa tournaments.”
Saudi Arabia, which has invested heavily in football in recent years, announced its intention to bid for the 2034 tournament within minutes of the Fifa announcement.
President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, Yasser Al Misehal, said “the time is right” for Saudi Arabia to host the World Cup.
“Our bid is driven by a love for the game and a desire to see it grow in every corner of the world,” he said. “The Kingdom’s transformation journey is the driving force behind our bid.”
Saudi Arabia has drawn criticism from the international community for its human rights record and the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. In recent years it has spent billions on sport in what critics have labelled “sportswashing”.
The country will host the 2027 men’s Asian Cup and has announced its intention to host the 2026 women’s Asian Cup, for which it will face opposition from Australia.
Saudi Arabia’s women’s national team entered the world rankings this year.
The Asian Football Confederation president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa – who is also the Fifa Council’s senior vice president – said he was “delighted” the Saudi Arabian Football Federation had announced its intention to bid.
“The entire Asian football family will stand united in support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s momentous initiative, and we are committed to working closely with the global football family to ensure its success,” he said.
In August, Johnson told Guardian Australia discussions had started about an Australian 2034 bid.
“What’s important is that the conversations need to begin now, and the agenda needs to begin being shaped because when we do bid for the next Men’s World Cup, we need to be ready,” he said.
Co-hosts, including potentially New Zealand and countries in south-east Asia, will be needed for any Australian bid for the tournament. The bidding documents require a minimum of 14 stadiums.
After the 31 October deadline for associations to confirm interest in bidding, bids must be submitted by July 2024, before a decision is made by Fifa late next year.
According to Fifa’s bid evaluation report prepared prior to the tournament, this year’s Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand cost $170m, including $120m in government contributions.
Australia’s failed bid for the 2022 men’s World Cup – which was hosted by Qatar – used $46m in public funding and was widely criticised after it earned just a single vote from Fifa’s decision-makers.
A joint proposal from Morocco, Spain and Portugal is the sole bidder for the 2030 tournament, which marks the World Cup’s 100th anniversary and is set to include “celebratory” matches in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.
The US, Canada and Mexico will host the 2026 men’s World Cup.
The host of the 2027 Women’s World Cup is due to be announced in May next year.