Australia Withdraws Bid, Making Saudi Arabia Default Host of 2034 World Cup; Decision on Host of 2027 Women’s World Cup Delayed until 2024

Saudi Arabia set to host 2034 World Cup after Australia backs out due to financial concerns and potential diplomatic repercussions; questions arise over FIFA's prioritization of men's tournaments.

Australia withdrew its bid to host the 2034 World Cup, leaving Saudi Arabia as the default host. The decision was influenced by financial concerns, damaged faith in the bidding process after a failed 2022 World Cup bid, and potential diplomatic repercussions.
Saudi Arabia securing the 2034 World Cup has been seen as a significant step in their soft power goals and is expected to be commercially beneficial to FIFA, despite criticism over the country's human rights record.
Football Australia, instead of bidding for the 2034 World Cup, aims to host the 2026 Women's Asian Cup and the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup, contributing to a continuous stream of events to develop domestic football.
FIFA has pushed forward with planning for the 2034 Men's World Cup before determining the host for the 2027 Women's World Cup, manifesting its prioritization of men's tournaments. The host for the 2027 Women's Word Cup will not be known until May 17, 2024.
Critics argue that FIFA's timeline undermines the valuation of the Women's World Cup, misses marketing opportunities and hampers potential tournament improvements. They call for an election process akin to the men's timeline to ensure equality and better profitability.