We want what Qatar had, says Saudi vice-minister of World Cup bid

LONDON : Saudi Arabia's vice-minister of sport praised Qatar for their hosting of the World Cup last year and said his country wanted to experience it for themselves as they bid to host the tournament in 2034.

Saudi Arabia is seeking to host the showpiece after global soccer body FIFA invited bids earlier this month from Asia and Oceania, setting a deadline of Oct. 31.

Qatar was the first country in the Middle East to host the World Cup in November-December last year and Saudi vice-minister of sport Bader Alkadi lauded the host nation despite strained diplomatic relations between the two states in recent years.

"Like the pride you had in the UK when you hosted the Olympics, like how proud we are about us beating Argentina at the World Cup. And Qatar ... we're proud of what other countries have done delivering an excellent World Cup," Alkadi said at the Leaders sports conference in London.

"Definitely we want to have this at home. And we want to ensure that we develop our country to host at a high standard such events."

When asked about the fan experience at Qatar which included no alcohol being served in stadiums, a decision made a week before the tournament began, Alkadi said people had enjoyed a unique experience.

"And that's something honestly we applaud our colleagues and Qatar for, for going through and definitely proving that it is a possibility (and it) is something that we would want to repeat," he added.

He did not clarify if that meant they would allow alcohol to be served in fan zones and hotels, as was the case in Qatar. Alcohol is banned in Saudi Arabia.

Critics accuse the country of using its sovereign wealth fund to engage in "sportswashing" in the face of heavy criticism of Saudi Arabia's human rights record.