So schauts aus!

Applause instead of a ballot – how to award a World Cup without actually awarding it Just take a proper look at the picture: a world governing body with 211 member associations, gathered on 11 December 2024 in a congress hall in Bangkok – and instead of a secret ballot between rival bids, there is… applause. No voting slips, no debate, no real contest. Just clapping. That is how Saudi Arabia was officially confirmed as host of the 2034 World Cup – just as Spain, Portugal and