Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Greece 2030

[AmandaNevius]

On 9/17/2022 at 12:40 PM, AustralianFan said:

At Qatar 2022, fans can buy beer with alcohol before and after each games, with only zero alcohol beer served during the games.

Things evolve but you would expect at least this at 2030 games in Saudi Arabia should this tri-bid be successful.

Spoiler

Hello, I also want to know whether we can drink beer in Qatar or not? I am little confused. I am going to watch FIFA World Cup with my friends. I have completed all of my homework by taken help from one of the online dissertation writing services. Otherwise my parents won't allowing me to go to watch FIFA World Cup with my friends.

 

FIFA World without alcohol. lol. I think most of the people like me who loves beer will love to watch matches on bar or with friends.

[AustralianFan]

2 hours ago, AmandaNevius said:

FIFA World without alcohol. lol. I think most of the people like me who loves beer will love to watch matches on bar or with friends.

You may like beer but Saudi Arabia strictly forbids alcohol anywhere anytime.

Also at the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup, only zero-alcohol beer is served inside the Stadium when the game is in progress.

Alcoholic beer is served before and after the games at the stadiums. 

[SportLightning]

That bid seems like a tough one.

[stryker]

On 9/30/2022 at 12:17 PM, AustralianFan said:

You may like beer but Saudi Arabia strictly forbids alcohol anywhere anytime.

A Saudi official today stated there's absolutely no reason a Saudi hosted 2030 World Cup cannot be dry and that any attempt to force Saudi Arabia to serve alcohol would be considered Islamophobic.

No worries, Budweiser will see to it there is no WC hosted anywhere in a conservative Muslim country again.

[Palette86]

The oil-rich nation is lining up a bid for the World Cup in 2030 with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as ambassadors.

World Cup 2030: Saudi Arabia’s massive bid with Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

[Guilga]

Quote

Saudi Arabia switches FIFA World Cup focus from 2030 joint bid to 2034 sole bid

 

 Add comment

• By Mike Rowbottom
•  
•  Friday, 1 September 2023

 

 

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Saudi Arabia has abandoned its ambition to jointly host the 2030 World Cup and is now seeking European support for staging the 2034 tournament alone.

The original ambition of co-hosting the World Cup with Egypt and Greece has now been effectively abandoned, The Times reports.

Officials and ministers from the Gulf Kingdom have already communicated with prominent figures in European football to secure support from the continent as a prelude to making an official offer to organise the 25^th edition of the FIFA World Cup finals.

According to The Times, Saudi Arabian leaders are convinced of the country's ability to host the 2034 World Cup in the summer, despite the high heat, by holding matches in specific, high altitude venues.

Ronaldo has already arrived in Saudi Arabia. Will the 2034 FIFA World Cup also make its way there? ©Getty Images

There is an alternative solution similar to the one Qatar pursued when it hosted the 2022 World Cup in winter.

Qatar became the first Arab country to stage the World Cup, while Morocco are seeking to host the 2030 edition jointly with Spain and Portugal.

Among the projected host venues for a Saudi Arabia World Cup would be the city of Neom, the creation of which was announced by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2017 as part of the country's Vision 2030, with the aim to complete construction by the end of the decade, The Sun reports.

The megacity will have a floating industrial centre and port city, as well as a ski resort called Trojena which has already been awarded the 2029 Asian Winter Games.

An airport will be built and also the Line: a 110-mile, 500m tall and 200m wide mirrored megastructure that will connect Neom, located near the Red Sea, to the rest of the kingdom.

Qatar became the first Arab country to stage the World Cup, while Morocco are seeking to host the 2030 edition jointly with Spain and Portugal.

https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1140436/saudi-arabia-fifa-world-cup-2034-switch

Well, the turbo co-hosting idea got dropped BUT...

Quote

Officials and ministers from the Gulf Kingdom have already communicated with prominent figures in European football to secure support from the continent as a prelude to making an official offer to organise the 25^th edition of the FIFA World Cup finals.

According to The Times, Saudi Arabian leaders are convinced of the country's ability to host the 2034 World Cup in the summer, despite the high heat, by holding matches in specific, high altitude venues.

 

I LAUGHED OUT READING THAT, WHAT THE HELL!!!

With that said, seriously, if they are going to make this work, in which case they will likely face similar harsh realities like Qatar IMO, we are going to see madness. All that talk of air conditoners in the stadiums for 2022 but up to eleven? Let´s see the Kingdom´s topoghaphy.

Map taken from https://pt.dreamstime.com/mapa-físico-da-arábia-saudita-extremamente-detalhado-em-formato-vetorial-com-todas-as-formas-de-relevo-regiões-e-grandes-image161959979 .

As we can see, the most high places on the country are located in the western coast of the country. Luckly, those are also where people is at as well, particularly at Southwest, from Makkah to Jizan, with a special honorable mention to Riyad. 

Map below is from http://www.geo-ref.net/ph/sau.htm
http://www.geo-ref.net/m/saudi-arabia.png

If the map doesnt show up, try the link above. Census data is from 2022. Anyway, if they have a selection process in place, most of the eventual venues should be in the country southwest, they could try the mountains up north, but there is way less people there. BUT! Guess where our future winter asiad host city Trojena will lie, alongside other excentricities, NEOM, is? Right up north, left of Tabük! And this will be a 2034 bid now, so Vision 2030 will have to be in full swing mode now.

I feel they will absolutely drop a stadium there. And may be where our opening ceremony of 2029 is too! Also very luckly, it is still in more elevated places, so the plan also cheks out. Also, sportwashing is of course bad, Saudi is a dictatorship, but consider this: in 1934, Italy was deep into fascist land and FIFA still hosted the SECOND EVER mens world cup there, so unfortunely, this will be least of their concerns even though it should be the first. (including for looking the safer european heartlands and other rich places bids) There is a strong football culture there, and they are, for now, so oil rich that they control the price of it. The only reason it sound ludicrus such a bid, is the actions of their dictators and their flagrant crimes against human rights, which should be enough for a block. But FIFA doesnt care, and if this madmen actually pull trough a workable plan, we will be in Saudi land pretty soon. At least, some sort of geography is on their side.

[Sir Rols]

Sigh.

Saudi Arabia, even beyond its climate and political millstones, shouldn’t even be mentioned as a potential candidate so soon after Qatar. But that gulf oil money for sports-washing is really poisoning international sport - and FIFA and the Asian sports federations have been en-mired in it big time.

[stryker]

16 hours ago, Sir Rols said:

Sigh.

Saudi Arabia, even beyond its climate and political millstones, shouldn’t even be mentioned as a potential candidate so soon after Qatar. But that gulf oil money for sports-washing is really poisoning international sport - and FIFA and the Asian sports federations have been en-mired in it big time.

Relax. Anheuser-Busch will make sure this thing is DOA. Don't forget as well that under Saudi law sporting events are segregated and I highly doubt FIFA will want to touch that issue. If that's not enough, Qatar's last minute backtracking on the alcohol issue showed that when you award a tournament like this to an conservative Islamic monarchy, they call the shots, not FIFA and they don't want to fo through that again. 

There's no chance FIFA could convince the Saudis to allow booze or gender mixing during football matches.

[Sir Rols]

7 hours ago, stryker said:

Relax. Anheuser-Busch will make sure this thing is DOA. Don't forget as well that under Saudi law sporting events are segregated and I highly doubt FIFA will want to touch that issue. If that's not enough, Qatar's last minute backtracking on the alcohol issue showed that when you award a tournament like this to an conservative Islamic monarchy, they call the shots, not FIFA and they don't want to fo through that again. 

There's no chance FIFA could convince the Saudis to allow booze or gender mixing during football matches.

This is FIFA, though. If they’d wanted to put their foot down, they could have and would have. They were sure quick to put their foot down on any idea of players wearing rainbow wrist bands.

This is FIFA, which has no problems handing out other lower tier tournaments to Saudi as soon as they ask for them.

This is FIFA, which was quick to proclaim and bask in Qatar’s “best World Cup ever” - no matter that the tournament had a death toll.

This is FIFA, who were so keen to hand out sponsorship rights to the WOMEN’S World Cup to Travel Saudi Arabia, until the outcry over how inappropriate that would be became too much.

This is FIFA, whose president Infantino spent the best part of a year living in Qatar in the lead-up to their WC, but when it came to the Aust-NZ Women’s World Cup, arrived on the eve of the tournament then couldn’t wait to jump back on the private FIFA jet to fly off to Tahiti, Fiji and other Pacific atolls to spend the bulk of the tournament there on “FIFA business”.

And this is Saudi Arabia, whose pockets are bottomless when it comes to buying out any international sport or organisation that takes their fancy. Golf? Tick! WWE? Tick! Formula one? Tick! A Winter Games in one of the hottest and driest countries on earth? Tick! Olympic Council of Asia? Tick!

And I know you’re fixated on the plight of poor old Anheuser-Busch, but I doubt a ban on in-tournament sales even shows up as a blip in their end-of-year revenues. They’re sponsoring the events for the billions in world-wide advertising and to get the FIFA logo on their bottles, not to try and turn a buck on the local concession tents. If anything, they’d probably be happy for the extra publicity, and even sympathy, a local ban would get them. I doubt they have the clout and influence, or even care that much, to dictate to FIFA who they can award their tournaments to.  

 

Edited September 2, 2023 by Sir Rols

[stryker]

8 hours ago, Sir Rols said:

This is FIFA, though. If they’d wanted to put their foot down, they could have and would have. They were sure quick to put their foot down on any idea of players wearing rainbow wrist bands

And I know you’re fixated on the plight of poor old Anheuser-Busch, but I doubt a ban on in-tournament sales even shows up as a blip in their end-of-year revenues. They’re sponsoring the events for the billions in world-wide advertising and to get the FIFA logo on their bottles, not to try and turn a buck on the local concession tents. If anything, they’d probably be happy for the extra publicity, and even sympathy, a local ban would get them. I doubt they have the clout and influence, or even care that much, to dictate to FIFA who they can award their tournaments to.  

 

FIFA was powerless when dealing with Qatar and MBS would make it very clear, a Saudi WC is theirs to do as they please. I'm sure after the Budwesier fiasco there were FIFA officials outraged with the last minute turnaround but what could FIFA do? Absolutely nothing.

Forget the alcohol issue for a moment, do you honestly think a Saudi WC is going to allow gender integration in the stadiums? Do you really think FIFA has the authority to somehow get them to make exceptions? It would be comical.

Then there's the Israel issue. An expanded WC now puts them at a much higher probability of qualifying. Do you honestly think the Saudis wouldn't try to ban the Israelis under the text of "security issues" or perhaps allow them to compete but as neutrals?

FIFA is also an organization that likes to show they are in charge. A WC in KSA would not allow them to do so.

[stryker]

On 9/2/2023 at 6:48 AM, Guilga said:

https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1140436/saudi-arabia-fifa-world-cup-2034-switch

Well, the turbo co-hosting idea got dropped BUT...

I LAUGHED OUT READING THAT, WHAT THE HELL!!!

With that said, seriously, if they are going to make this work, in which case they will likely face similar harsh realities like Qatar IMO, we are going to see madness. All that talk of air conditoners in the stadiums for 2022 but up to eleven? Let´s see the Kingdom´s topoghaphy.

 

I laughed out loud at this as well. I can tell you that under this proposal, there would be no games in the southwest. It's too close to Yemen and the Houthis routinely launch missiles into Saudi Territory there. In fact, U.S. government personnel in the kingdom aren't even permitted to travel to the cities of Jizan, Najran, and Abha. The prospect of a makeshift Houthi missile landing in a crowded stadium is something not even FIFA would entertain. You mention Riyadh. I've lived there in the summer. It's on a plateau but the altitude is no help. It routinely can hit 50 degrees. I'd also mention that Houthi missiles can and often do reach Riyadh.

Entertaining the idea, a Saudi WC bid would have to include the likes of Jeddah, Riyadh, and Dammam. Jeddah and Dammam are sweatboxes in the summer not to mention the oppressive humidity. If FIFA were to seriously give this bid (never mind the social and cultural norms that make Qatar seem liberal) any time of day the only option would be another November-December tournament.

[Rob2012]

1 hour ago, stryker said:

I laughed out loud at this as well. I can tell you that under this proposal, there would be no games in the southwest. It's too close to Yemen and the Houthis routinely launch missiles into Saudi Territory there.

Well, this happened just last year...

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/formula-1/saudi-arabia-gp-missile-photos-26559794

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/mar/25/saudi-arabian-grand-prix-at-risk-of-cancellation-after-houthi-missile-attack

 

[Sir Rols]

2 hours ago, stryker said:

Then there's the Israel issue. An expanded WC now puts them at a much higher probability of qualifying. Do you honestly think the Saudis wouldn't try to ban the Israelis under the text of "security issues" or perhaps allow them to compete but as neutrals?

This is FIFA. Who stripped the 2023 Under 20s World Cup from Indonesia over the Israeli issue, and less than three months later awarded them the 2023 Under 17s WC in consolation. That wasn’t making a stand and demonstrating control, that was just short term crisis management followed by a make good to the “wounded party” to show they didn’t really mean it.

FIFA are shameless. So is Saudi Arabia. I wonder how gender integration is going to work at the Trojena Asian Winter Games?

In seriousness, I really don’t think this will go ahead either. The whole notion is ludicrous.

But so was Qatar 2022. And if any nation has the funds and will to pull off the ludicrous, it’s Saudi Arabia. As it’s shown many times over. And this is FIFA. If any organisation has the utter shamelessness to sell itself for pots of gold, it’s FIFA.

Edited September 3, 2023 by Sir Rols

[stryker]

1 hour ago, Sir Rols said:

This is FIFA. Who stripped the 2023 Under 20s World Cup from Indonesia over the Israeli issue, and less than three months later awarded them the 2023 Under 17s WC in consolation. That wasn’t making a stand and demonstrating control, that was just short term crisis management followed by a make good to the “wounded party” to show they didn’t really mean it.

FIFA are shameless. So is Saudi Arabia. I wonder how gender integration is going to work at the Trojena Asian Winter Games?

In seriousness, I really don’t think this will go ahead either. The whole notion is ludicrous.

The U20 and U17 tournaments are peanuts compared to the big one. In all seriousness,  I highly doubt FIFA would move to strip a hypothetical WC from Saudi Arabia if Israel was denied entry especially in the months leading up to the tournament. You are 100 percent right about the buying power of the kingdom. In a hypothetical situation, if FIFA were to remove the WC over Israel's participation, the Saudis have more than enough cash to bankrupt FIFA in court and have plenty left over. I read one editorial years back that Israel was an unspoken issue with regard to expanding the tournament in 2026 rather than 2022. FIFA didn't want to touch that hot potato over a possible Israel qualification despite reassurances from the Qataris which as we saw don't amount to much.

This is the risk organizations like FIFA and the IOC run when awarding their marquee events to totalitarian dictatorships. The hosts have practically free reign to implement whatever relgulations and policies they want and if the said organization doesn't agree then you're offending the host (the Saudis have already played the Islamophobic card over the booze issue)

As for the Asian Winter Games in Trojena, gender segregation will be enforced as I would expect it to be at the Asian Games in Riyadh as well.

I remember Infantino saying at the Qatar WC surely fans could watch a match and enjoy it without a beer. Maybe at a Saudi WC he'll come out and say men and women can enjoy a match without having to sit next to their boyfriends and girlfriends.

[FYI]

8 hours ago, stryker said:

You mention Riyadh. I've lived there in the summer. It's on a plateau but the altitude is no help. It routinely can hit 50 degrees.

Fifty degrees sounds very CHILLY for the summer! 

4 hours ago, stryker said:

I remember Infantino saying at the Qatar WC surely fans could watch a match and enjoy it without a beer. Maybe at a Saudi WC he'll come out and say men and women can enjoy a match without having to sit next to their boyfriends and girlfriends.

Well, I'd say the latter is much more damaging than the former, though. Unless of course, your boyfriend/girlfriend happen to be of the same sex! 

[Roger87]

After Qatar giving enough headaches to FIFA (even ones who didn't expect or were prepared), we can cross out this for the next future, even with the intent of having the new Super League (although this only started and we have the first voices regretting the pick cough Benzema cough). Yes, FIFA is shameless, but when you touch the main purpose of the organization - $$$ they can set foot and the reports from Qatar weren't exactly pleasant. 

[SportLightning]

For Saudi Arabia if they get 2034 World Cup same year as the Asian Games in Riyadh, they might host it in the early part of the year which is possible to avoid clash with the Asian Games the same year.

[Guilga]

17 hours ago, SportLightning said:

For Saudi Arabia if they get 2034 World Cup same year as the Asian Games in Riyadh, they might host it in the early part of the year which is possible to avoid clash with the Asian Games the same year.

Yikes, there is that too! Actually, imagine having both side to side... However, i feel that they will prioritize the WC calendar if they ever get it. What is worse, a bunch of elite-tier footballers from all over the world in the heat of summer or a bunch of elite-tier athletes of the continent, in all sports combined getting the heat instead?

[Bear]

17 hours ago, SportLightning said:

For Saudi Arabia if they get 2034 World Cup same year as the Asian Games in Riyadh, they might host it in the early part of the year which is possible to avoid clash with the Asian Games the same year.

but then that clashes with the Winter Olympics and Paralympics...

[Sir Rols]

On 9/4/2023 at 11:36 AM, Roger87 said:

After Qatar giving enough headaches to FIFA (even ones who didn't expect or were prepared), we can cross out this for the next future, even with the intent of having the new Super League (although this only started and we have the first voices regretting the pick cough Benzema cough). Yes, FIFA is shameless, but when you touch the main purpose of the organization - $$$ they can set foot and the reports from Qatar weren't exactly pleasant. 

FIFA don’t care. As far as Gianni “I feel gay, I feel disabled, I feel like a migrant worker, I feel like a woman too” Infantino is concerned, Qatar was a raging success, the :”best WC ever” and filled FIFA’s coffers to the point where it doesn’t have to worry about petty annoyances like liberal western carping. In fact, it shores up his position, his whole power base is the rest of the world outside Europe who love seeing him stick it to UEFA and those pesky western liberals.

And the sponsors can virtue signal to their hearts content to their western customer bases, yet still line up to make sure their logos get used on the pitch-side signage in the stadiums of Doha, Riyadh, Jakarta or wherever, and get seen on billions of TV screens around the world. The perfect each-way bet. I’m sure FIFA were far more annoyed with the Aussies and Kiwis kicking up a stink about Visit Saudi Arabia sponsorship of the WWC than they were about the Qataris insisting upon dry stadiums.,

And as for the Saudis, it’s the common attitude that “they can’t pull it off” that has exactly let them pull it off. Only now are some people waking up to the fact that they’ve bankrolled the biggest ongoing sportswashing swindle in history. They are literally poisoning world sport and getting away with it.

Edited September 5, 2023 by Sir Rols