Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand are gearing up to host the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023™, and alongside the thrilling live matches, the FIFA Fan Festival™ is set to be an electrifying celebration. Spanning all nine Host Cities in both countries, the festival will offer free entry to football enthusiasts, occasional supporters, and families with children. Each FIFA Fan Festival will be a vibrant fusion of music, entertainment, local culture, delectable cuisine, fan activities, and live match screenings on giant screens.

Tailored to the unique characteristics of each host city, including the climate, match days, and kick-off times, the FIFA Fan Festivals will feature renowned musical acts from Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. Artists such as Ladyhawke, JessB, Jessica Mauboy, Kimbra, San Cisco, and Montaigne will headline the various events.

Read Also: Players to watch out for at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 : Part 1

"The FIFA Fan Festival creates a space where fans, families, and local communities can go beyond football. From live match broadcasts to informative panels and performances by popular musicians, there's something for everyone," said FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura. "We are proud to introduce the FIFA Fan Festival at the FIFA Women's World Cup for the first time. Together with the Host Cities and sponsors, we have ensured that these spaces are not only entertaining and enjoyable but, above all, inclusive—a clear commitment from FIFA and this tournament."

In addition to the festival experience, football enthusiasts from around the world can explore the heritage of the game through special exhibitions. The FIFA Museum presented by Hyundai in Sydney will showcase "Calling the Shots: Faces of Women's Football," while in Auckland, visitors can discover "The Rainbow of Shirts" at the institution's pop-up exhibition area. Other Host Cities will feature a photo exhibition titled "Past Champions through the Years."

Read Also: FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 full squad of all 32 teams

Attendees can also look forward to appearances by the FIFA Women's World Cup Trophy, the Official Mascot Tazuni™, FIFA Legends, and exclusive screenings of FIFA+ Originals on selected days enriching the on-site experience.

To ensure a family-friendly atmosphere, the venues will offer diverse culinary and beverage options, including food trucks, a range of international and First Nations cuisine, and appearances by celebrity chefs. The FIFA Store and official merchandise outlets will also be available at the festival sites.

Moreover, fans will have the opportunity to participate in panels discussing various topics across the FIFA Fan Festival locations. In Australia, the panels will focus on themes such as inclusion in sports, sustainability, and empowering the LGBTQ+ community through football. Aotearoa New Zealand will host the EQUALIZE panels, a series of free-entry equity discussions celebrating women in sports, business, culture, and society.

For specific information on opening dates, times, featured artists, and more for each Host City, please visit the FIFA Fan Festival website.

FIFA Fan Festival Venues and Artists

Aotearoa New Zealand

• Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau – The Cloud
  • JessB, Ladi6, Troy Kingi, Tuawahine, Hollie Smith, Kaylee Bell
• Dunedin/Ōtepoti – Dunedin Town Hall & Glenroy Auditorium
  • Bic Runga, Topp Twins, Ladyhawke, Ladi6
• Hamilton/Kirikiriroa – Claudelands Event Centre
  • AACACIA, Robinson, Ella Monnery, Lou'ana
• Wellington/Te Whanganui-a-Tara – Shed 6
  • Ladyhawke, Rubi Du, Maisey Rika, Che Fu, JessB

Australia

• Adelaide/Tarntanya – Festival Plaza
  • Kimbra, San Cisco, Montaigne
• Brisbane/Meaanjin – South Bank Parklands
  • Running Touch, Kita Alexander, FELIVAND, Sahara Beck, Eliza & The Delusionals
• Melbourne/Naarm – Federation Square
  • Sycco, Samantha Jade
• Perth/Boorloo – Forrest Place
  • Katy Steele, Crucial Rockers, Joan & The Giants, Abbe May
• Sydney/Gadigal – Tumbalong Park
  • Jessica Mauboy, Steph Strings, Jacoténe, Jack River, Mia Wray

Previously known as the FIFA Fan Fest™, this ultimate fan destination has made appearances at four FIFA World Cup™ editions since the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™. It has attracted nearly 40 million visitors across five continents. The concept was reintroduced with a fresh approach as the central fan destination at the FIFA World Cup™ and FIFA Women's World Cup™ tournaments under the name FIFA Fan Festival™ during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™.

The Australian Professional Footballers Union has slammed FIFA after the governing body awarded 2034 World Cup hosting rights to Saudi Arabia following the conclusion of the FIFA Congress on 11 December 2024.

The Union did not welcome the decision and mentioned the severe human rights issues that are at risk in the Gulf nation. They also questioned FIFA's ability and readiness to prevent the continuation of human rights violations in Saudi Arabia. 

The official statement

Professional Footballers Australia head Beau Busch stated the following in an email to Reuters:

The significant human rights risks linked to this tournament are well-documented,

By securing hosting rights to the global game’s most prestigious event, Saudi Arabia and FIFA must ensure the rights of everyone affected by the 2034 Men’s World Cup are upheld and safeguarded.

However, FIFA’s ongoing governance failures and lack of accountability to its own human rights commitments leave no assurance that harm can or will be prevented.

Read Also | Saudi Arabia's 2034 World Cup bid: FIFA is reportedly overlooking reports on human rights abuses

The discussions

The awarding of the 2034 FIFA World Cup hosting rights to Saudi Arabia has sparked controversy in a never-seen manner, as human rights activists, including the Australian Association and LGBTQ activists, have all expressed concerns over Saudi Arabia's human rights records.

Additionally, migrant worker groups and trade unions have also raised alarms about the potential exploitation of workers in the World Cup after the issues that were raised years before the Qatar World Cup commenced in 2022. According to Reuters, Saudi Arabia has denied accusations of human rights abuses and said that it protects its national security through its laws.

This is not the first time that people related to Australian football have been vocal critics of human rights issues around the globe. Australian national men's football team released a video message condemning Qatar's record on human rights and LGBTQ+ rights ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Football Australia, the governing body of Australian football, supported the players' stance and later objected to Saudi Arabia's sponsorship of the 2023 Women's World Cup, citing concerns over the kingdom's human rights record.

A message from the Socceroos. pic.twitter.com/Sd2R6ej8kK

— Subway Socceroos (@Socceroos) October 26, 2022

However, after Qatar in 2022, another World Cup in West Asia will disrupt the traditional football calendar just like it did in 2022. Saudi will supposedly host the World Cup in November-December of 2034 which will significantly affect the footballers. Qatar hosted 32 teams for the 2022 World Cup, but Saudi will host 48 teams as the grand event will need a more expanded and flexible timeframe to organize.

Spain will compete against Morocco to acquire the honour of hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup final. Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, and Camp Nou in Barcelona are the frontrunners for Spain. In contrast, Morocco is vouching for the Hassan II Stadium in Casablanca which is yet to be constructed. 

The scenario

Spain, Portugal, and Morocco's joint bid 'YallaVamos' has clinched the 2030 FIFA World Cup hosting rights following FIFA's official announcement on 11 December 2024. Centenary celebration matches will be held in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay as FIFA confirmed on the same day following the conclusion of FIFA's virtual assembly meeting. 

However, the venues and stadiums for the 2030 World Cup are far from being decided yet, but hosting the world cup final is an honour in itself. That is why two of the host nations, Spain and Morocco have already joined in races to bring the grand World Cup final event to their country. Morocco aims to host the final in the Hassan II Stadium, which is yet to be constructed but is planned to have a capacity of hosting 115000 spectators. 

🚨🚨💣BREAKING: La maquette officielle du stade Hassan II de Benslimane (Casablanca) 🏟️

Il sera le plus grand et le plus beau stade du monde, avec une capacité d’environ 118 000 places.

𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐘𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 🇲🇦🤯 #WC2030 pic.twitter.com/QfvbFgosK2

— FRMF Xtra (@FRMFXtra) July 28, 2024

Santiago Bernabeu, the home ground of Real Madrid can hold 78,297 spectators as of now, which must reach the 80000 mark as required by FIFA. Barcelona's beloved Camp Nou stadium is currently under renovation but it will hold 105000 spectators once the constructions are complete. However, the final decision will be made in 2026 and every stadium will receive the required time to match FIFA's commitments. 

FIFA will also have full availability of the Hassan II Stadium in Casablanca during the tournament, as the stadium will be under the ownership of the Moroccan Ministry of Sports. In contrast, both the Bernabeu and Camp Nou, owned by Real Madrid and FC Barcelona respectively, will not offer that level of availability due to their business operations within the stadium. This may give the African stadium a certain advantage in the race to host the final.

The tussle between the cities will also be another interesting thing to watch in the discussions to host the opening match of the tournament. Madrid and Barcelona are likely to lock horns off the pitch to host the opening match of the grand event; if they lose the final to Casablanca. Barcelona City Council has already shown interest in securing the opening match hosting rights. 

However, the confirmation of hosting the tournament in Spain after 48 years since the 1982 World Cup, has brought great optimism to every authority and layman in the country. Pilar Alegría, the minister of Education, Vocational Training, and Sports in Spain, has expressed her excitement and expectations after winning the World Cup rights. She stated:

This is magnificent news for sport, society, and the economy. An event that will allow us to showcase to the world the excellent level of organization present in Spain. We are very happy, and today we begin working on this World Cup, which fills us with excitement to host and which will enable us to work together with our neighbors in Portugal and Morocco,

José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes, President of the Higher Sports Council also expressed his joy:

This is a milestone that expands the pride of the entire Spanish society. It recognizes our ability to organize top-level sporting events and pays homage to the tradition and footballing success of our country,

The group division draw for the UEFA European Qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has just been finished in Zurich, Switzerland as the groups are announced, and the European powerhouses have come to know their fate in the qualifying process. 

UEFA #FIFAWorldCup qualifying groups: locked in. 🔐

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) December 13, 2024

The qualifying group matches are scheduled to commence in March 2025 and will conclude in November 2025; as 16 European teams will book their tickets to the USA, Mexico, and Canada for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 

Here are all the details about the UEFA European Qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

How did the draw work?

Teams were drawn into 12 groups of four and five teams, with traditional home-and-away matches. From Group A to Group F; each group has 4 teams each, and from Group G to Group L; 5 teams have been drawn into each group.

What were the seedings for the qualifiers draw?

There were five pots where the 55 teams were divided. 

The European qualifiers draw for the 2026 World Cup will take place in 5 minutes! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/t8dcGlXnPx

— Football Xtra™ (@FootballXtra0) December 13, 2024

Will there be any play-off matches in the qualifying process?

There will be a play-off round involving 16 teams in total. The 12 group runners-up will participate in the play-offs, along with the four best-ranked group winners of the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League that did not finish their European Qualifiers group stage in first or second place.

When will the matches take place?

Group stage match dates: March to November 2025

Play-off match dates: 26 & 31 March 2026

How will the UEFA Nations League align with the qualifiers?

The 8 Quarter-finalists of the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League have been seeded in Pot 1, as the winners and losers of the Quarter-finals are divided into different groups in the qualifiers. Four best-ranked group winners of the 2024/25 UEFA Nations League that did not finish their European Qualifiers group stage in first or second place, will also qualify for the play-offs. 

Here are the groups for the UEFA European Qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

UEFA European Qualifiers Groups for FIFA World Cup 2026

Group A 

Winner of QF4: Germany/Italy
Slovakia
Northern Ireland
Luxembourg

Group B 

Switzerland
Sweden
Slovenia
Kosovo

Group C 

Loser of QF3: Portugal/Denmark
Greece
Scotland
Belarus

Group D

Winner of QF2: France/Croatia
Ukraine
Iceland
Azerbaijan

Group E

Winner of QF1: Spain/Netherlands
Turkey
Georgia
Bulgaria

Group F

Winner of QF3: Portugal/Denmark
Hungary
Republic of Ireland
Armenia

Group G

Loser of QF1: Spain/Netherlands
Poland
Finland
Lithuania
Malta

Group H

Austria
Romania
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Cyprus
San Marino

Group I

Loser of QF4: Germany/Italy
Norway
Israel
Estonia
Moldova

Group J

Belgium
Wales
North Macedonia
Kazakhstan
Liechtenstein

Group K

England
Serbia
Albania
Latvia
Andorra

Group L

Winner of QF2:  France/Croatia
Czechia
Montenegro
Faroe Islands
Gibraltar

Karim Benzema has become the official ambassador for Saudi Arabia's official bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup. Benzema expressed his confidence in the competence of Saudi Arabia to host the FIFA World Cup in 2034 during a recent meeting with young footballers in Jeddah.

Looking to the future with the @Saudi2034bid 🇸🇦🏆 pic.twitter.com/Z8ZsUDaFUr

— Karim Benzema (@Benzema) December 8, 2024

Saudi Arabia strengthens its position through the collaboration

Karim Benzema signed for Al-Ittihad in 2023 as one of the most prominent faces of world football to feature in the Saudi Pro League. Many promising footballers have joined the Saudi Pro League in recent years to elevate their footballing careers. Saudi Arabian Football Federation has shown greater aspirations by submitting an official bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup. Following Australia's withdrawal, which was Saudi's only contender in the bidding process, Saudi Arabia is now in the pole position to win the hosting rights for the biggest event of football in 2034.  Saudi Arabian Football Federation has tied knots with the French icon to strengthen their position in the premises of world football.  

The 36-year-old forward announced his appointment as the ambassador during a visit to Al-Balad. He stated:

I believe Saudi football is changing. I think that in 10 years, Saudi Arabia will be ready. I believe that visitors will be surprised by the passion of Saudi fans at every match,

Recent controversies regarding human rights abuses in Saudi Arabia have struck the football environment, as human rights activists have also expressed their concern about FIFA's decision. However, Benzema conveyed his personal views regarding the criticisms.

People who have preconceived notions about Saudi Arabia should come and see for themselves. There are incredible things and iconic places. The people are welcoming. You feel good here. It's a country worth exploring. There is so much to do. It's not just about the desert, even though there are incredible experiences to be had in the desert as well. You must come and visit Saudi Arabia.

Read Also | Saudi Arabia's 2034 World Cup bid: FIFA is reportedly overlooking reports on human rights abuses

Benzema addressed the importance of grassroots developments in football

The French icon recently met the trainees from the Saudi Football Federation’s regional training centers in Jeddah and offered his understanding to develop a better environment for football in the region. Benzema said:

Saudi football is developing, and I am confident that after 10 years Saudi Arabia will be fully prepared (for the World Cup).

Training and development begin with the young players, and this is the most important thing — creating a generation that can reach the highest level.

An official statement by FIFA to confirm Saudi Arabia as the host nation for the 2034 FIFA World Cup may arrive this month after the FIFA Congress on 11 December 2024.  

FIFA has rejected Morocco's claims to consider the status of Western Sahara as part of the Moroccan kingdom in its bid assessment report for the 2030 FIFA World Cup. The highest governing body of world football has significantly overlooked a map submitted by Morocco during the evaluation process as the presented Western Sahara as Morocco's territory.

The 2030 FIFA World Cup will reportedly be hosted in six countries across three continents to celebrate the centenary year of the World Cup. The FIFA Council adopted a key decision in October 2023 regarding the 2030 FIFA World Cup to finalize Portugal, Spain, and Morocco's combined bid to host the grand event.  The council unanimously agreed to award Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay the hosting rights for some of the matches. 

The geopolitical tension

The Western Sahara conflict is a long-standing territorial dispute in North Africa. When Spain surrendered control of the region in 1975, Morocco solidified its claim through a mass civilian movement known as the 'Green March'. This led to an extensive war with the Polisario Front, a Sahrawi independence movement. The Polisario Front declared the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) and established a government-in-exile in Algeria. The conflict has resulted in a divided territory, with Morocco controlling the western portion and the SADR holding the eastern region. Morocco illegally annexed Western Sahara twice in the past, in 1976 and 1979. The United Nations offered its mediation efforts, but a lasting solution remains elusive, leaving the future of Western Sahara and its people uncertain.

However, Morocco submitted a map alongside their bid assessment that included Western Sahara in its territory. This move aimed at legitimizing the Makhzen regime's expansionist ideas. In a turnaround of events, FIFA has recognized the distinct and internationally acknowledged borders between Morocco and Western Sahara. FIFA effectively avoided the Moroccan government's territorial ambitions by rejecting the map. This sensitive political situation is still profoundly worrying for the governing body of world football. 

🔴HM King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, has the great pleasure of announcing to the Moroccan people that the FIFA Executive Committee has unanimously selected the Morocco-Spain-Portugal bid as the sole candidate to organize the 2030 Football World Cup. pic.twitter.com/wCUFXBmL2c

— Moroccan Diplomacy 🇲🇦 (@Marocdiplo_EN) October 4, 2023

Some other issues also may lead FIFA to go through various talks with respective authorities and its sub-committees. Amnesty International, an organization that works on human rights and the concerning instances, submitted a report on human rights abuses in the said territory of Morocco and Western Sahara. The report was named 'The States of the World's Human Rights 2024' and it included human rights abuses allegations such as torture and ill-treatment, women's rights, impunity, and many others. 

FIFA's evaluation report

El Independiente, the renowned Spanish news outlet, has unveiled the Moroccan government's attempt to manipulate FIFA's evaluation report. The report, which assessed Morocco's bid for the 2030 World Cup, omitted a map showcasing Morocco's territorial claims over Western Sahara. This omission was deliberate, as the inclusion of such a map would have directly contradicted international law and UN resolutions. The UN firmly recognizes Western Sahara as a non-self-governing territory awaiting decolonization. Morocco's efforts to assert its sovereignty over Western Sahara appear to be aimed at exploiting the region's natural resources. However, This initiative has no legal basis and is countered by FIFA's recent technical report.

El Independiente also indicated in a recent report that the controversy surrounding Morocco's falsified map, alongside other candidate-related issues, was a key topic of discussion within FIFA's committee, which includes representatives from Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. This pivotal decision by FIFA has evidently angered the Moroccan government, whose strategic plans have been significantly disrupted.