RIYADH: Brazilian footballer Neymar on Monday expressed his full support for Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, and said that he believes it has the potential to be the best tournament yet.
After touring the Saudi 2034 bid exhibition with Hammad Albalawi, the head of the bid unit, Neymar described it as “the best project I’ve ever seen” for players and fans alike.
The exhibition showcases the proposed host cities — Riyadh, Jeddah, Al-Khobar, Abha and NEOM — and includes interactive displays of the 15 stadiums envisioned for the event.
Saudi Arabia is bidding to be the sole host of a 48-team World Cup tournament. It aims to leverage its geographic advantage, given that 60 percent of the world’s population live within an eight-hour flight of the Kingdom.
Neymar was particularly impressed by the focus of the Saudi bid on the needs of the players, saying: “They’re thinking about the players … making it easier to get from the game to the hotel and recover faster.”
The 32-year-old Brazilian, who has lived in Riyadh since signing for Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in August 2023, praised the passion for football in the Kingdom and the warm welcome he and his family received. Despite an injury that limited his playing time so far, he noted the enthusiastic support among local fans.
The rapid growth in the development of football in Saudi Arabia in recent years has included an expansion in the number of youth-training centers to 23, support for more than 300,000 boys and girls in school leagues, and an increase in the number of registered football coaches from 700 in 2019 to more than 4,000.
Neymar said he believes this investment in the future of Saudi football will pay off, adding: “They will definitely be more competitive in 2034.”
He also acknowledged the influence he and other international soccer superstars who have relocated to the Kingdom, such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema, are having on the nation’s football scene.
“We want to influence all the kids and the youth to do the right things, and to bring joy to everyone with our football,” he said.
Saudi Arabia submitted its official bid for the 2034 World Cup, which has the theme “Growing. Together,” in July. A decision on the host is due to be made on Dec. 11 during a FIFA Congress.
