Saudi Arabia pledges a safe World Cup in 2034

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Sport, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal, said the Kingdom will cooperate with FIFA to ensure affordable tickets and enhance fan safety during the 2034 World Cup, given regional instability and lessons learned from this year’s finals in North America, where costs were a concern. Ticket prices, particularly in the resale market, have been a point of contention, not only among fans but also with US lawmakers who have called on FIFA to lower prices, which have risen sharply since the 2022 tournament in Qatar. Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal said that while FIFA owns the tickets and sets their prices, Saudi Arabia will work with the global governing body to improve accessibility, including expanding visa options. He added, “This is an issue we will work on with FIFA. Nobody wants to see a tournament like the World Cup where people face difficulties attending.” He continued, "We have more than 60 countries whose citizens can obtain electronic visas upon arrival, and we hope that this number will increase. This trend actually started in 2018 when we hosted the Formula E race, as we did not have tourist visas before that."