Between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia’s 2034 World Cup Bid
By Zekeri Idakwo
Nigeria and Saudi Arabia have come a long way. The relationship between the two strategic partners started as soon as the former gained independence in 1960.
The two countries have a lot in common in terms religion, culture and philosophy and relationships have also existed along the line of tourism, education and healthcare services.
Saudi Arabia is the headquarters and birthplace of Islam and Nigeria contributes a healthy dose of population to the annual Hajj and lesser Hajj rituals that take place in the Holy Land. Out of the 2 million pilgrims who participated in the 2023 Hajj exercise, Nigeria contributed 95,000 and the same feat will be repeated next year.
As for sports, fate has been joining the two countries together for decades. It was in the U-20 World Cup hosted by Saudi Arabia in 1989 that ‘Daman Miracle’ took place as Nigeria recovered from a 4-0 deficit to defeat the USSR in the semi finals before losing 2-0 to Portugal in the final.
It was also on the soil of Saudi Arabia that Nigeria-born Anthony Joshua beat Andy Ruiz Jr to reclaim his World Heavyweight Boxing Title.
This was why no one was surprised when the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) recently announced that it will back Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
This was contained in statement which appeared on the Nigeria’s football body official website while congratulating the government and people of the Kingdom of Morocco over the decision by FIFA that the North African country will co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup finals with Spain and Portugal.
NFF said that Nigeria will be throwing its weight behind the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s bid to stage the 2034 finals – four years after the expected spectacle in Morocco, Spain and Portugal.
“We believe the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has the infrastructure and facilities to stage a spectacular FIFA World Cup in 2034,” the statement added.
Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the 2034 World Cup has been gaining momentum in recent months, with the country investing heavily in infrastructure and facilities for the tournament. If successful, this would be the first time that the World Cup would be hosted in the Middle East since Qatar hosted the 2022 edition.
The NFF’s potential support for Saudi Arabia’s bid carries significant weight, given Nigeria’s influence in African football. Nigeria has a rich footballing history, and the NFF plays a crucial role in the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The 2034 World Cup hosting right is expected to be decided by FIFA in the coming years, with Saudi Arabia facing competition from potential joint bids by other countries. The bid process is known for its competitive nature, as nations vying for the honour of hosting the tournament present their proposals to FIFA.
The international football community will undoubtedly be watching closely as the NFF’s potential support for Saudi Arabia’s bid unfolds. Nigeria’s support for Saudi Arabia can signal a significant shift in the geopolitics of World Cup hosting and further strengthen the ties between African and Middle Eastern football.
