Egypt has formally requested to host a selection of group-stage matches for the 2034 FIFA World Cup, which is set to take place in Saudi Arabia, the president of Egypt’s football federation, Hany Abo Rida, announced on Wednesday.
Speaking at the 14th CAF Extraordinary General Assembly in Cairo, Abo Rida praised Saudi Arabia’s preparations for the tournament and expressed hope that FIFA would grant Egypt and Africa the honour of hosting a portion of the event.
The request comes as Egypt marks the centenary of its historic participation in the 1934 World Cup, where it became the first African nation to compete in the tournament.
Saudi Arabia was confirmed as the sole host of the 2034 World Cup by FIFA on December 11, making it the third Arab nation to stage the tournament, following Qatar in 2022 and Morocco in 2030, when it will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
Egypt had previously expressed interest in hosting the 2034 tournament outright and was also part of an unsuccessful joint bid with Saudi Arabia and Greece for the 2030 edition.
