Egypt Requests Joint Hosting with Saudi Arabia for the 2034 World Cup

Egypt, through its Football Association led by Hani Abou Rida, has officially submitted a request to host one of the groups of the 2034 FIFA World Cup, which will be primarily organized by Saudi Arabia.

During the Extraordinary General Assembly of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in Cairo, attended by FIFA President Gianni Infantino and CAF President Patrice Motsepe, Abou Rida surprised attendees by making this request. He emphasized the symbolic significance of the event, as it coincides with the centenary of Africa’s first participation in the World Cup, which was by Egypt in 1934 during the tournament’s second edition.

Abou Rida stated that Egypt’s hosting of one of the groups would enhance the celebration of Africa’s centennial in the World Cup. He also affirmed that Saudi Arabia, as the main host, would welcome this proposal, aligning with FIFA’s recent approach of distributing tournament matches across multiple countries, as seen in the 2026 and 2030 editions.

Egypt was the first Arab and African country to qualify for a World Cup, having participated in three editions: 1934, 1990, and 2018. The proposal has received positive reactions from fans on social media, fueling discussions about a possible joint hosting between Egypt and Saudi Arabia. This setup would mirror the upcoming tournament formats, such as the 2026 World Cup hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, as well as the 2030 edition, which will be shared by Morocco, Spain, and Portugal.

Although Egypt has never hosted a World Cup, it previously submitted a bid for the 2010 edition but received no votes, with South Africa ultimately being chosen as the host nation.