Saudi Arabia has officially been confirmed as the host of the 2034 World Cup, promising to deliver “the best World Cup in history”.
A young spokesperson delivered a presentation ahead of the confirmation:
“We will make you all proud. Saudi Arabia has become home to some of the greatest sporting events and we are growing football at a rapid pace.
“We want to host the first 48-team World Cup in a single nation.”
Commenting on the festival atmosphere expected, the presenter stated:
“If you’ve heard about us Saudis, you would know that we love to host. Generosity is a language every fan can expect when visiting our beautiful country.
“Young Saudis are not only part of the change but we are part of driving it. I love languages too. Especially the language of football. It’s a language I love because everyone in the world speaks football. It’s what makes our game truly global,” they added.
The announcement has sparked furious backlash on social media, with people pointing to the human rights records of countries to have hosted the tournament over recent years.
Russia, currently at war with Ukraine, hosted the World Cup in 2018, while Qatar followed in 2022.
Others suggested bribery might have had a role to play in the decision, with pictures of former FIFA president Sepp Blatter doing the rounds:
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