2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia marks sporting and cultural power shift to Asia

For just the third time in the tournament’s existence, the FIFA World Cup is coming to Asia, with Saudi Arabia the only confirmed bidder for the 2034 tournament — marking what appears to be a shifting of international sporting and cultural power to the continent.

Asia had to wait 72 years for its first tournament, held in Japan and South Korea, and then a further 20 for its second. The region, and the Gulf in particular, will have to wait just 12 years for another tournament, after Qatar’s hosting of the event in 2022.

It is a sign of the growing power of Asia, and for Saudi Arabia, in the sphere of global football, it has come in an unexpected rush.

It was just 12 months ago that the Green Falcons, then a relatively unknown quantity on the global stage, were preparing for the most daunting of tasks by taking on Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the opening game.

As the Lusail Stadium’s golden facade shimmered on a typically warm and sunny Doha afternoon, the 80,000 fans inside the arena — evenly split between Argentinean and Saudi Arabian fans — created an atmosphere that had to be experienced to be believed.

The stadium’s foundations were truly tested as first Saleh Al-Shehri, and then Salem Al-Dawsari, produced a stunning one-two punch early in the second half to turn a 0-1 halftime deficit into a 2-1 lead — which they would not relinquish.

Saudi Arabia football was the talk of the world. Back then, even after the euphoric high of that historic victory, few would have believed the transformation that was still coming.

Herve Renard’s side not only opened the eyes of the world to the talent within the Kingdom, but also to the passion for football among Saudi Arabia’s 30-million-plus population, as convoys of fans came