Southeast Asian nations launch joint bid to host 2034 Fifa World Cup

The Philippine Sports Commission will host an all-important, week-long assembly of top sports and government officials from 11 Southeast Asian nations with the aim of producing a unified bid to bring the 2034 Fifa World Cup.

“It will be a collaborative undertaking and part of the agenda for the entire region is to prioritize the concept of sports for all,” said Ramirez, who will showcase the Philippine commitment to develop sports in Southeast Asia.

Delegates of the 5th Asean Ministerial Meeting on Sports (AMMS-5) and the Senior Officials Meeting on Sports (SOMS-9) arrived on Sunday for the gathering that will run until Thursday at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City.

Four months ago, Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha announced that 10 Asean nations will launch a joint bid to host the 2034 Fifa World Cup. It is the first 10-country joint bid in football world cup history, the biggest sport on the planet with over 4 billion enthusiasts.

In 2023, the Philippines will play the lead in a three-nation hosting of the basketball World Cup and would like nothing more than to bring football’s largest showcase to the country.

After Qatar plays host to the World Cup in 2022, joint hosting bids among countries have become the trend with the trio of Canada, Mexico and the United States joining forces in 2026 while Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay and Chile submitting a combined proposal for 2030.

Besides the Asean bid, Ramirez said the 11 countries will likewise work on revitalizing the Asean Work Plan on Sports for 2016 to 2020, discuss the establishment of the eSports SEA Foundation and implement the decisions from previous meetings of the AMMS and SOMS.

Ramirez welcomed His Excellency Sar Sokha of Cambodia, Phouvanh Vongsouthi of Laos, Tan Wei Ming of Singapore, Ahmad Shapawi Bin Ismail of Malaysia, His Excellency Aminuddin Ihsan Pehn Dato HJ Abidin of Brunei, Mya Than Htike of Myanmar, Kumekawa Hirokazu of Japan, Le Thi Hoang Yen of Vietnam, and His Excellency Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn of Thailand.

PSC Executive Director Merlita Ibay will serve as the point person of the entire undertaking, which will hold the first-ever Asean Meeting on Women and Sports with Japan.

Delegates from Unesco, Fifa, Searado, UN Women, Asean Chess Federation, Asean Para Sports Federation, Asean Football Federation, and Right to Play Thailand Foundation will also participate.