JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman congratulated the Kingdom on completing its bid to host the 2034 World Cup. The bid was submitted to FIFA officials in Paris on Monday by a delegation headed by the Saudi minister of sports, Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal, and President of the Saudi Football Federation Yasser Al-Misehal. Prince Abdulaziz expressed his gratitude to King Salman and the crown prince for their support and interest in the bid. “With this candidacy, we intend to host the exceptional edition that brings together 48 teams for the first time in the history of the tournament in one country,” the minister said. “I extend my sincerest gratitude to our visionary leadership that has enabled us to reach this milestone in the history of Saudi sports. I also express my profound thanks to the Crown Prince and Prime Minister for his unwavering support for the development of the sports sector. “Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the FIFA World Cup 2034 is a bid for the future. It is for our children and those who dream big. “The Kingdom aims to host the most important event in the world of football, which would reaffirm its influential position on the global stage across various fields, including sports. “The involvement of two children submitting the bid embodies the significant contributions of the youth of this great nation; youth are our largest population segment. With their passion and outstanding talent in various fields, including football, our youth are the key to achieving the Kingdom’s future ambitions.” He continued: “Their involvement sends a powerful message, reflecting the dreams and aspirations of our youth to participate in a FIFA World Cup on our home soil, to help organize the tournament, or to support the Kingdom’s efforts in welcoming the world.” Al-Misehal, President of SAFF, said: “Our bid campaign marks our firm commitment to hosting the world’s greatest football tournament, and a deep desire to advance sport and the quality of life for our people. “Our country’s love of football is rooted in history, and we want to showcase to FIFA how we will harness this enthusiasm not just in 2034 – but for generations to come. We want to create an enduring legacy to help push Saudi Arabia’s transformation to new heights.”