Saudi Football’s Global Rise Culminates in 2034 World Cup Hosting, Says Expert

   Washington, June 15, 2026, SPA -- Middle East and international sports expert Kristian Ulrichsen explained that Saudi football has undergone a remarkable transformation, significantly strengthening the Kingdom’s presence on the global stage.
   Ulrichsen told the Saudi Press Agency that his first meaningful experience of Saudi football came during the 1989 FIFA U-16 World Cup in Scotland, where he witnessed the Kingdom's emergence on the global stage.
   He also recalled Saudi Arabia's appearance at the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States, in which Saeed Al-Owairan's goal against Belgium remains one of the most celebrated moments in Saudi football history.
   The prominence of Saudi clubs across regional and international competitions over many years has laid the foundation for the growing worldwide interest in the sport. He described the Kingdom’s memorable triumph over Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup as one of the landmark moments.
   He said the Kingdom's hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup is a step consistent with the development trajectory that Saudi sports have witnessed in recent years, reflecting the success of a strategy centered on investment and infrastructure development.
   -- SPA