Saudi Arabia has reportedly offered to pay for the construction costs of stadiums that Greece and Egypt might need to host games, but on the condition that 75 percent of the event is hosted by the Gulf nation.
Fresh on the heels of their neighbours Qatar hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2022, Saudi Arabia have stepped up their own audacious joint bid to host football’s showpiece event in 2030, which, if successful, will see the event being held in three continents. The rich nation has reportedly offered to pay for the construction costs of stadiums that Greece and Egypt might need to host games, but on the condition that 75 percent of the event is hosted by the Gulf nation. It is estimated that the costs that Saudi Arabia has to fork out would run into billions of dollars.
According to a report in Politico, the offer was made by Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, in a conversation with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis last year. The report added that the bid was hoping to garner votes from nations in three continents as all of FIFA’s Congress. The FIFA Congress consists of over 200 nations, all of which vote to decide who wins the right to host the World Cup.
The three nations are said to be working on a joint bid for the 2030 World Cup, even though the report added that there was no certainty if the offer was accepted. Media reports have said that Spain, Portugal, and Ukraine are expected to submit a joint bid while the South American nations of Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Chile could also join forces to launch a bid.
The joint bid is the latest move by the Gulf nation to make an imprint in the world of sports. Recently, a Saudi consortium led by the nation’s sovereign wealth fund, called the Public Investment Fund, bought Premier League side, Newcastle United. PIF is also behind the rebel golf tour, LIV Golf.
