A beckoning opportunity for the land of the Kiwis to be under the global spotlight once more, the prospective horizons of hosting the grand Fifa World Cup appear promising. The stage is set with the recent announcement that the bidding contest has been confined to member associations from Asia and Oceania, including New Zealand. Tailored path for a unique edition of the 2030 Fifa Men’s World Cup is anticipated to engage Europe, Africa, and South America. The dynamics of how this would play out if New Zealand hosted are intriguing to consider.
An ensemble bid for the 2030 league from Spain and Portugal expanded its horizons to include Morocco, and furthermore, it now incorporates long-standing bid rivals Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The audacious possibility of a tournament spanning Europe, Africa, and South America once seemed a chimerical idea, not anymore. Concurrently, in Saudi Arabia, the eager vision to seize the 2034 FIFA World Cup became more tangible as they officially presented their bid to Fifa.
In the backdrop of a successful co-hosting experience of the Women’s World Cup with Australia, New Zealand finds itself in an adaptable position to potentially host the men’s tournament. The era of multi-country bids being cost-efficient means to host events of such magnitude adds inertia to this possibility. However, Fifa’s tight deadline of October 31 for nations to voice their interest could prove challenging for many who seek government support.
New Zealand and Australia’s hosting prowess especially in terms of judiciously utilizing the existing infrastructure demonstrated an efficacious model during the very recent women’s tournament. However, one potential impediment in hosting the men’s World Cup is the requirement for 14 stadiums, each with a capacity of 40,000 spectators, as currently only 11 such venues span across both nations. Certain stadia in Australia that meet the criteria, primarily accommodate football and cricket thus posing another hurdle.
The focus now sways towards dissecting the prospect of a tournament being executed across three continents and six countries. The revamped structure of the tournament predicates this diversified hosting format, for few nations can single-handedly manage an event of such scale given the existing infrastructure.
As for the 2030 bid, the tournament begins at Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, gradually transitioning to the core hosts Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. The onset of the games is thus expected to prompt unprecedented travel across formidable distances and several time zones.
New Zealand Football, in a recent announcement, articulated their aspiration to explore options for future hosting endeavours. The recent accomplishment of hosting the biggest ever Fifa Women’s World Cup further amplified their enthusiasm.
The potential bid from Australia and New Zealand could gain momentum with the backing of Fifa President Gianni Infantino, who expressed his commendations for the host nations during the 2023 Women’s World Cup. Additionally, Sarai Bareman, Fifa’s head of women’s football, supports the possibility of another tournament being held in these nations.
A groundwork for a potential 2034 bid uncovers a couple of possible breakthroughs from New Zealand’s viewpoint: a joint Saudi Arabian, Australian and New Zealand bid, or competing Saudi and Australia/New Zealand bids in light of the Saudi bid. Given the Australasian infrastructure’s limitations, it appears increasingly plausible for New Zealand and Australia to ally with Saudi Arabia.
While the previous seems more aligned with the model of the 2030 bid, entailing considerable travel across time zones, the latter replicates the success blueprint of Australia and New Zealand’s women’s World Cup hosting.
Nevertheless, whether Saudi Arabia would approve a multi-nation bid remains uncertain. Their massive investment in football recently, with the Public Investment Fund acquiring a majority share in the English Premier League club Newcastle United, could be indicative of their intent.
New Zealand and Australian football planners must prudently evaluate any potential collaboration with Saudi Arabia considering its perceived ‘sportswashing’ attempts. In view of all these complexities, the final bid remains as much in question as the outcome of the games themselves.
