So that’s that then. Roll up, roll up, for the Saudi Arabia World Cup. It might not be what you wanted but, hey, whether you like it or not is almost irrelevant at this stage. It is happening, it is unshakeable, and it is futile to think anything can be done about it.
Welcome to the future. Or, maybe, welcome to the new norm, given everything we have learned over the past few years about Saudi Arabia’s desire to reinvent itself as the most lucrative, tills-ringing, all-dancing place to play football on the planet.
You can be disappointed, exasperated, angry even, but nobody should be too surprised by the announcement from FIFA that, with Australia pulling out, the 2034 competition will go to Saudi Arabia as the only bidders.
Already, Saudi Arabia has lined up the FIFA Club World Cup in December, the Spanish, Italian and Turkish Super Cups next year, as well as bidding for the 2035 Women’s World Cup. And that’s just a small part of it.
Gianni Infantino speaks in Saudi Arabia at the draw for the 2023 Club World Cup (Yasser Bakhsh – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Add to that the multitude of “Riyadh Season” events, the world championship boxing, the UFC events, Formula One races, WWE nights, the Equestrian World Cup and some rather mind-boggling plans,…
