‘They’ll be successful’: Bangladesh backs Saudi bids for Expo 2030, World Cup 2034

Dhaka: Bangladesh has pledged its support for Saudi Arabia to organize Expo 2030 and the 2034 FIFA World Cup, its foreign minister said, as he expressed confidence that the Kingdom would be successful in hosting both events.

Saudi Arabia has already gathered significant international backing to host both the world’s largest exhibition and the most prestigious football tournament.

Bangladesh extended its support for Expo 2030 in August and will stand with the Kingdom for the FIFA World Cup too, Foreign Minister Abdul Momen told Arab News on Monday.

“The Prime Minister (Sheikh Hasina) has conveyed to the Saudi government that, yes, we will support them,” he said. “We will support them in organizing the event in 2030. Another thing they have requested is (support) for 2034. We pledged to support Saudi Arabia there also.”

Both events will be a success if hosted by the Kingdom because of its “very progressive approach,” Momen added.

“They will be successful in this endeavor. Saudi Arabia has plenty of assets and their arrangements will also be good ... That’s why I think a lot of countries will participate,” he said.

Three countries are in the running to host World Expo 2030 — besides Saudi Arabia’s bid to hold it in Riyadh, there is also South Korea’s in Busan and Italy’s in Rome.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced the Saudi bid to host Expo 2030 in October last year and the country submitted its formal application in December to the Bureau International des Expositions, the organization behind the expo.

The host nation will be elected by member countries during the organization’s general assembly on Nov. 28.

For the World Cup, the international governing body of association football, FIFA, has invited bids from Asia and Oceania for the 2034 tournament, setting a deadline of Oct. 31.

For the 2034 FIFA World Cup, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation announced its bid on Oct. 4, intending to deliver a world-class tournament, drawing inspiration from the Kingdom’s ongoing social and economic transformation and deep-rooted passion for the sport.

The bid is backed by the Kingdom’s growing experience of hosting world-class football events and its ongoing plans to welcome fans from across the world to the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup and the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.