October 18 – A week after disclosing they were having talks with Australia about a bid to co-host the 2034 World Cup, the Indonesia FA (PSSI) has backtracked and said the federation is now backing Saudi Arabia, a decision that leaves the 2034 finals within the Arab Kingdom’s touching distance.
In a statement, the PSSI wrote on Wednesday that “Indonesia supports Saudi Arabia as a candidate to host the 2034 World Cup”.
PSSI president Erick Thohir said: “Indonesia supports Saudi Arabia as the host of the 2034 World Cup. On the other hand, Indonesia continues to prepare itself for bidding for the next World Cup for the Asian zone after 2034 and other FIFA competitions.”
The statement came hours before an AFC Extraordinary Congress that was held online and turned into a reaffirmation that the Asian confederation and FIFA want Saudi Arabia to host the 2034 World Cup.
In a statement the AFC reiterated their support for a World Cup in Saudi Arabia in 2034, writing that the “Member Associations expressed their support and desire to stand behind a single bid from Saudi Arabia as reiterated by the AFC President for the hosting rights of the FIFA World Cup in 2034.”
The AP reported that FIFA president Gianni Infantino asked AFC members to “be united for the 2034 World Cup.” It is a message Infantino also delivered in Central Asia earlier this month.
Infantino’s words hardly come as a surprise. The FIFA supremo has long been seen as an ally of Saudi Arabia. Infantino has repeatedly courted Saudi Arabia’s controversial Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman despite the country’s concerning human rights record, its lack of gender equality and the outlawing of same sex relationships that can be punishable by death.
Members of the AFC and OFC have until October 31 to can express their interest in bidding for the 2034 World Cup, which FIFA has mandated will be held in either in one or jointly by member associations of the two confederations.
Indonesia’s decision leaves Australia in a politically isolated position if they are to proceed. The co-host of the recent 2023 Women’s World Cup have made it clear they were assessing the potential and logistics of a bid, but with Saudi Arabia receiving such firm backing across the AFC, a bid with credible chances of winning seems unlikely.
All of this politicking and vote promising is taking place before any country has even outlined what their bid would look like, given any detail of their national infrastructure and support for the event, and even outlined which stadiums it would be hosted in. Normally decisions on who to support and lobbying for votes begins once hosting plans have been submitted and accepted. This way round nations know exactly what they are choosing to support.
Australia bid for the 2022 World Cup, but the country felt it was humiliated in the voting process. It may however be an option for Australia to turn their eye to the 2029 Club World Cup, a competition that will move to a 32-team format in 2025 with the first edition to be hosted in the US before the expanded 48-team 2026 World Cup.
FIFA and Infantino designed a six-country World Cup in 2030 across three continents – Africa, Europe and South America – to manufacture a clear pathway for Saudi Arabia to win the hosting rights to the 2034 tournament. Now all the support garnered is making sure the rest of the world falls in to line and that there is no competing bid to the Saudis.
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