JEDDAH: The Saudi Arabian Football Federation on Friday launched its formal bid to host the FIFA World Cup 2034 under the slogan “Growing Together.”
In October last year, the Kingdom said it intended to bid to host the tournament, before the SAFF submitted an official letter of intent and declaration to FIFA.
The campaign proved a formality when the Kingdom became the only country to enter the contest to host the tournament.
The federation, as part of its formal bid, has unveiled a bid logo, website, as well as a short film that celebrates the passion, spirit and diversity of football in the Kingdom.
SAFF President Yasser Al-Misehal said: “Telling our football story to the world is of massive importance. And we believe ‘Growing Together’ is the perfect, yet simple description of our approach to hopefully hosting the tournament in 10 years’ time.”
Bidding to host a FIFA World Cup has been made possible by the rapid transformation taking place in the Kingdom, the SAFF chief said.
“We’ve made unprecedented progress in both the men’s and women’s game and our bid is an open invitation to the world to join us on this exciting journey. As we proved when we welcomed over 100 nationalities to the FIFA Club World Cup Saudi Arabia 2023 in Jeddah, the future is bright when we grow together,” Al-Misehal added.
As one of the fastest and most exciting growth stories in world football, Saudi Arabia, through its bid, seeks to capture the parallel between the Kingdom’s rapid transformation and the positive impacts of hosting FIFA’s flagship event.
Aspiring to become the first single host nation of a 48-team FIFA World Cup, the three pillars underpinning the bid are “Growing People Together,” “Growing Football Together” and “Growing Connections Together.”
Over the last six years, Saudi Arabia has hosted more than 100 international events across almost 40 sports, and is in active football partnerships with more than 100 countries.
The campaign slogan aims to capture the spirit of bonds between the Kingdom and football communities in countries around the world.
The bid logo — made up of intertwined rows of multi-colored ribbons displaying iconic football and cultural symbols — aims to promote Saudi Arabia’s status as a young nation with rich heritage.
It also features five colors reflecting natural diversity across the Kingdom: Desert amber, oasis green, radiance red, rich lavender and sunrise yellow.
The short film released for the bid was filmed across the country, exploring the passion for football in all sections of Saudi society.
It features players from the Saudi under-17 women’s national team and 22-year-old Saudi women’s national team midfielder Layan Jouhari. Background music was composed by powerhouse Saudi platform MDLBEAST.
SAFF recently launched a dedicated bid unit, in line with FIFA regulations, to lead the charge for the Saudi 2034 bid, which will last up until the end of the year.
The unit’s chief, Hammad Al-Balawi, said: “This campaign is powered by the hopes and dreams of 32 million people in Saudi Arabia. Our responsibility is to submit the best possible bid to FIFA, make our country proud and fulfill the trust placed upon us by more than 130 member associations across the world who supported our bid.”
The bid’s website is Saudi2034bid.com. Fans can celebrate the launch of the campaign using the hashtags #Saudi2034bid and #GrowingTogether.
SAFF launches formal FIFA World Cup 2034 host campaign
https://arab.news/b3ju8
SAFF launches formal FIFA World Cup 2034 host campaign
- Logo, website and short film released under slogan ‘Growing Together’
- Federation chief Yasser Al-Misehal: ‘Our bid is an open invitation to the world to join us on this exciting journey’
Man United open FA Cup title defense at Arsenal and Man City to play ‘Class of 92’-owned Salford
- The standout match features the competition’s two most successful teams, with Arsenal having won the trophy 14 times compared to United’s 13
- The third round will take place around the weekend of Jan. 11-12 and sees the 44 clubs from the Premier League and second-tier Championship enter the competition
LONDON: Manchester United will start their FA Cup title defense with a trip to Arsenal in a third-round draw containing a host of intriguing English Premier League vs. lower league matchups.
Among the best were Tamworth, one of only two non-league clubs in the draw, getting to host Tottenham and Manchester City at home to Salford City — the team owned by members of Man United’s famed “Class of 92” such as Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville.
Accrington Stanley, in sixth-to-last place in fourth-tier League Two, face a daunting trip to Premier League leaders Liverpool at Anfield. Chelsea, meanwhile, will host Morecambe, which are bottom of League Two.
The standout match features the competition’s two most successful teams, with Arsenal having won the trophy 14 times compared to United’s 13. Arsenal last lifted it in 2020 while United beat City in a second straight Manchester derby in the FA Cup final last season.
The third round will take place around the weekend of Jan. 11-12 and sees the 44 clubs from the Premier League and second-tier Championship enter the competition, joining the 20 lower-league and non-league sides who won in the previous round.
Draw:
Southampton vs. Swansea
Arsenal vs. Manchester United
Exeter vs. Oxford United
Leyton Orient vs. Derby County
Reading vs. Burnley
Aston Villa vs. West Ham
Norwich vs. Brighton
Manchester City vs. Salford
Millwall vs. Dagenham & Redbridge
Liverpool vs. Accrington Stanley
Bristol City vs. Wolverhampton
Preston vs. Charlton
Chelsea vs. Morecambe
Middlesbrough vs. Blackburn
Bournemouth vs. West Bromwich Albion
Mansfield vs. Wigan
Tamworth vs. Tottenham
Hull vs. Doncaster
Sunderland vs. Stoke
Leicester vs. Queens Park Rangers
Brentford vs. Plymouth
Coventry vs. Sheffield Wednesday
Newcastle vs. Bromley
Everton vs. Peterborough
Wycombe vs. Portsmouth
Birmingham vs. Lincoln
Leeds vs. Harrogate
Nottingham Forest vs. Luton
Sheffield United vs. Cardiff
Ipswich vs. Bristol Rovers
Fulham vs. Watford
Crystal Palace vs. Stockport
Messi, Ronaldo only World XI nominees from clubs outside Europe as voted by players
- The 37-year-old Messi and 39-year-old Ronaldo were the only players not with clubs in Europe to be voted on a 26-man shortlist for the world team of the year
- FIFPRO said the final team will include the highest-polling goalkeeper, plus each of the top three vote-getters among defenders, midfielders and forward
HOOFDDORP, Netherlands: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are still popular and respected by their fellow players even though they no longer play for European clubs.
The 37-year-old Messi and 39-year-old Ronaldo were the only players not with clubs in Europe to be voted on a 26-man shortlist for the world team of the year organized by global players’ union FIFPRO on Monday.
The other 24 nominees played in the past year with clubs in England, Germany, Spain and France, though Kylian Mbappé was the only French connection after spending last season at Paris Saint-Germain.
No player from any Italian club was selected, nor from any club in South America or Africa.
Eight players from Real Madrid, including Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham were on the shortlist, plus seven from Manchester City including Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland.
Lamine Yamal, the 17-year-old from Barcelona who was the breakout star of Spain’s European Championship title, also made it in polling by union members worldwide.
Messi, in Major League Soccer with Inter Miami, and Ronaldo, in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr, will find out on Dec. 9 if they are in the World XI lineup.
FIFPRO said the final team will include the highest-polling goalkeeper, plus each of the top three vote-getters among defenders, midfielders and forward. The final place goes to the outfield player with the next highest votes total.
The Netherlands-based union said 28,000 players from 70 countries sent votes.
Goalkeepers: Ederson (Manchester City, Brazil), Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa, Argentina), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich, Germany).
Defenders: Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid, Spain), Ruben Dias (Manchester City, Portugal), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool, Netherlands), Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen, Netherlands), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid, Germany), William Saliba (Arsenal, France), Kyle Walker (Manchester City, England).
Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, England), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City, Belgium), Phil Foden (Manchester City, England), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid, Germany), Luka Modrić (Real Madrid, Croatia), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich, Germany), Rodri (Manchester City, Spain), Federico Valverde (Real Madrid, Uruguay).
Forwards: Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England), Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain/Real Madrid, France), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, Argentina), Cole Palmer (Manchester City/Chelsea, England), Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr, Portugal), Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid, Brazil), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain).
World Football Summit in Riyadh aims to shape future of game regionally
- Summit comes ahead of FIFA’s official announcement of Saudi Arabia as host of the 2034 World Cup, expected on Dec. 11
- Jan Alessie: WFS Asia 2024 represents a crucial milestone in the evolution of football business in the GCC region
RIYADH: The World Football Summit kicked off on Monday in Riyadh, promising to be a key gathering for shaping the future of football in the Gulf Cooperation Council region and beyond.
Running from Dec. 2-3 with the participation of leading figures from the football world, the summit comes ahead of FIFA’s official announcement of Saudi Arabia as host of the 2034 World Cup, expected on Dec. 11.
The WFS Asia 2024 in Riyadh follows on from the first WFS held last year in Jeddah, which saw two days of discussions, strategic networking, and the acceleration of business and sports opportunities.
This year’s summit is expected to welcome more than 2,000 attendees, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
Participants will discuss various topics related to football development, including the integration of football technology and innovation in fan engagement, the development of sports tourism and sustainability in football, the growth of women’s football, and youth development programs.
The lineup of industry leaders taking part includes Hammad Albalawi, the Saudi FIFA World Cup 2034 bid head; Omar Mugharbel, Saudi Pro League CEO; Mauricio Macri, former Argentine president and FIFA executive chairman; Esteve Calzada, CEO of Al-Hilal; Monika Staab, SAFF women’s football technical director; James Bisgrove, CEO of Al-Qadsia Club; La Liga President Javier Tebas; and Juventus CMO Mike Armstrong.
Other representatives from premier football organizations include UEFA, the Saudi Pro League, Serie A, and clubs such as Manchester United and Al-Nassr, who will also contribute to discussions that will take place over the two-days.
“WFS Asia 2024 represents a crucial milestone in the evolution of football business in the GCC region,” said Jan Alessie, co-founder and director at World Football Summit.
“By bringing together the industry’s most influential voices in Riyadh, we are not just hosting an event — we are creating a platform that will accelerate the next chapter of football’s growth. The caliber of participants and the depth of discussions planned reflect our commitment to fostering meaningful dialogue and partnerships that will impact the entire football world.”
SAFF President Yasser Al-Misehal welcomed the guests to the conference, highlighting the significant progress the Kingdom is experiencing in hosting global sports events, supported by the Saudi leadership’s backing of the sports sector along with the Ministry of Sports.
He said that the WFS reflects the SAFF’s ongoing efforts to contribute to the advancement of football-related businesses that serve the global standing of Saudi football.
The summit’s agenda features panels such as “Saudi Arabia’s growing importance in World Football” and “One nation, one dream: The FIFA World Cup 2034 bid journey to success.”
Notably, the Saudi bid to host the FIFA World Cup 2034 has received a rating of 419.8 out of 500, the highest technical rating ever given to a file submitted to host the event, the federation said.
FIFA’s announcement came ahead of the federation’s general assembly on Dec. 11 to decide which countries would host the 2030 and 2034 World Cups, the Saudi Press Agency reported early on Saturday.
On July 29, a Saudi delegation led by Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, minister of sport and president of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and Al-Misehal officially submitted the Kingdom’s bid book to host the FIFA World Cup 2034 at a ceremony hosted in Paris, France.
Last October, a FIFA delegation arrived in the Kingdom to review the details of the bid. As proposed, 48 teams will be participating at venues in one country for the first time in history.
Mbappe and Bellingham respond to unhappy fans with goals in Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Getafe
- Mbappe was still far from his best, and he did not take the penalty kick which was converted by Bellingham
- Athletic Bilbao rallied to win 2-1 at Rayo Vallecano with a pair of second-half goals by Oihan Sancet, while Athletic’s Basque rival Real Sociedad defeated Real Betis 2-0 at home
MADRID: Kylian Mbappe made some peace with Real Madrid’s fans.
Mbappe scored in Madrid’s 2-0 win over Getafe in the Spanish league on Sunday to help ease the pressure on the France star.
Mbappe, who has been criticized by some supporters because of his disappointing performances since joining the Spanish powerhouse this season, found the net in the 38th minute to seal Madrid’s victory at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
Mbappe was coming off a lackluster outing — which included a missed penalty kick — against Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Jude Bellingham, also the target of some fans’ criticism for recent poor play, had put Madrid ahead at the Bernabeu by converting a 30th-minute penalty. He also assisted in Mbappe’s goal — a well-placed low shot from outside the area.
Mbappe had scored only once in the team’s last six matches across all competitions, and twice in the last nine games.
“He played very well, was active and was as dangerous as always,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. “He scored and created opportunities. He was very active, it’s what we want from him.”
Mbappe was still far from his best, and he did not take the penalty kick which was converted by Bellingham. Another penalty — which was overturned by VAR — was also set to be taken by Rodrygo.
“The order for the penalties is Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, but without Vinicius, it was up to Bellingham and Mbappe to choose,” Ancelotti said.
The win moved Madrid within a point of league leader Barcelona, who lost 2-1 to Las Palmas on Saturday. Madrid, the defending champions, have a game in hand.
Madrid were one point ahead of city rivals Atletico Madrid, who won 5-0 at Valladolid on Saturday.
Madrid have lost three of their five Champions League matches but have won three straight in the league to cut into Barcelona’s lead. The Catalan club is winless in three consecutive league games.
“Things have been going well in La Liga since the last defeat, but we can’t get sidetracked because this is what Real Madrid demands,” Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger said. “We must continue and do better in the Champions League.”
Also Sunday, Villarreal drew 2-2 with visiting Girona after leading 2-0 and eventually conceding an equalizer seven minutes into stoppage time.
Athletic Bilbao rallied to win 2-1 at Rayo Vallecano with a pair of second-half goals by Oihan Sancet, while Athletic’s Basque rival Real Sociedad defeated Real Betis 2-0 at home.
Liverpool pile on misery for Man City, Man Utd boss Amorim earns first Premier League win
- City have lost four successive top-flight games for first time since 2008
- First Premier League champions to endure such dismal run season after claiming title
LONDON: Liverpool piled on the misery for Manchester City as the Premier League leaders beat the troubled champions 2-0 at Anfield, while Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim earned his first league win with a 4-0 rout of Everton on Sunday.
Arne Slot’s side moved nine points clear of second-placed Arsenal after Cody Gakpo’s first-half opener and Mohamed Salah’s late penalty dealt another blow to reeling City, who are languishing 11 points behind Liverpool in fifth place.
City have lost four successive top-flight games for the first time since 2008, making them the first Premier League champions to endure such a dismal run the season after claiming the title.
City have clawed back significant deficits to win the Premier League in the Guardiola era, but they have never managed to lift the title after being behind by more than 10 points.
City’s seven-game winless run ranks as boss Pep Guardiola’s longest barren streak in his glittering managerial career.
Just weeks after he signed a new two-year contract, Liverpool fans taunted Guardiola with chants of “you’re getting sacked in the morning,” prompting a defiant response from the Spaniard, who held up six fingers to illustrate the number of titles he has won with City.
“The first 20 minutes Liverpool were unstoppable. We tried to play with a lot of control and passes, but it was difficult to take it,” Guardiola said.
“We’ll reset and start from zero. It is difficult to believe it. I rely a lot on these players. We’ll see what happens by the end of the season.”
Liverpool have won 18 of their 20 games in all competitions since Slot replaced Jurgen Klopp in the close-season.
With 11 victories from their 13 Premier League matches, Liverpool are firm favorites to win the title for the first time since 2020.
“We came close to perfection. That’s the only way to beat a quality team like City,” Slot said.
“We have to stay sharp. I don’t think anyone, including me, would have predicted this — to win so much with all the difficult teams we have played already.”
City’s defense was in disarray right from the start and when Salah curled a 12th minute shot toward the far post, Gakpo pounced to poke home from virtually on the line.
Salah’s 78th-minute penalty, awarded for keeper Stefan Ortega’s foul on Luis Diaz, was a dagger in the heart of City’s title hopes.
Amorim stole the spotlight in Sunday’s early games by extending his unbeaten start with United to three matches.
United were held to a 1-1 draw at Ipswich in his first Premier League game last Sunday, before the Portuguese boss earned his maiden win with United in a 3-2 success against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League on Thursday.
The 39-year-old, who arrived from Sporting Lisbon to replace the sacked Erik ten Hag in November, has warned United would “suffer for a long period” before they can expect to challenge for the title.
This was the most encouraging result of Amorim’s brief time at ninth-placed United.
Marcus Rashford’s 34th-minute drive from the edge of the area took a deflection off Jarrad Branthwaite before flashing into the net.
United struck again seven minutes later as Branthwaite lost possession to Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes teed up Joshua Zirkzee to convert with ease.
Rashford underlined United’s superiority just 20 seconds after the interval as he applied a cool finish to Diallo’s incisive pass, before Zirkee struck again in the 64th minute with a composed strike.
“The result was good but we were pragmatic. It was not pretty,” Amorim said. “It is a rollercoaster. We have some moments when we are good but then we have moments when we have to suffer.”
At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to six games with a 3-0 win against Aston Villa, whose dismal winless streak reached eight matches.
Enzo Maresca’s men look capable of securing Champions League qualification after a third successive win in the space of eight days moved them level on points with second-placed Arsenal.
Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez scored in the first half before Cole Palmer struck in the closing stages.
Seventh-placed Tottenham’s top-four hopes were dented by a 1-1 draw against 10-man Fulham.
Brennan Johnson slotted Tottenham into the lead from Timo Werner’s 54th-minute pass, but Tom Cairney curled Fulham’s equalizer into the far corner after 67 minutes.
Cairney was sent off with seven minutes left after his foul on Dejan Kulusevski was upgraded from referee Darren Bond’s initial yellow card to a red after VAR intervened.