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Russia backs Saudi Arabia as potential host of 2034 FIFA World Cup

"In his letter to President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation Yasser bin Hassan bin Mohammed al-Misehal, RFU President Alexander Dyukov welcomed the bid on behalf of the kingdom to host the world [football] championship," the statement reads

MOSCOW, November 1. /TASS/. The Russian Football Union (RFU) supports Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup and is ready to render it all necessary assistance, the RFU’s press office said in a statement on Wednesday.

"In his letter to President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation Yasser bin Hassan bin Mohammed al-Misehal, RFU President Alexander Dyukov welcomed the bid on behalf of the kingdom to host the world [football] championship," the statement reads.

"According to RFU President Dyukov, the World Cup in Saudi Arabia will provide for the global development of the sport of football," according to the RFU. "Considering Russia’s successful experience in hosting the 2018 World Cup, the RFU is ready to cooperate and support the Saudi Arabian Football Federation in the preparations to host the event in 2034."

FIFA’s press service announced earlier that it had received official declarations of interest to host the 2030 and 2034 FIFA World Cups.

According to the world's governing football body’s statement "Morocco, Portugal and Spain confirm interest in hosting FIFA World Cup 2030," while: "Declaration of interest from Saudi Arabian Football Federation received for FIFA World Cup 2034."

The FIFA World Cup is held every four years. The inaugural event was hosted by Uruguay in 1930.

In 2022 Qatar hosted the most recent FIFA World Cup and it was held between November 20 and December 18 at eight stadiums in five cities across the Persian Gulf country, namely in Doha, Lusail, Al Wakrah, Al Khor and Al Rayyan.

Russia hosted its first and only FIFA World Cup in 2018. The championship took place at 12 stadiums in 11 cities across Russia, namely in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Sochi, Kazan, Saransk, Kaliningrad, Volgograd, Rostov-on-Don, Nizhny Novgorod, Yekaterinburg and Samara.

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