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An ASEAN ministerial meeting in Manila, the Philippines, has agreed that five ASEAN nations – Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – will launch a joint bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
Delegates at the 5th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Sports (AMMS-5) held that Thailand would play the leading role in the joint bid, Thai Tourism and Sports Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn said, adding that he will bring the matter to the Thai cabinet for approval later.
At the 34th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok on June 22-23, ASEAN leaders consented to jointly bid to host the World Cup.
Right after Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha announced the ASEAN pledge, Football Association of Thailand (FAT) chief Somyot Poompunmuang called on the Government to make its plans for the joint bid clear.
In late July, Somyot discussed the planned joint ASEAN bid with some leading officials of the Foreign Ministry.
Somyot said the meeting discussed the bidding procedure, starting with gaining the support of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and its member countries.
This will be followed by submission of relevant documents to FIFA, particularly letters of declaration from all ASEAN governments confirming their support for the bid.
The other needed documents include official letters of consent from the cities where the matches will be held, the stadiums for the games and practice venues, as well as those concerning legal issues, tickets sales and accommodation.
A strategic plan for hosting the World Cup is also required, along with the human rights and labour policies of the host countries and other facilities concerning safety and transportation for visitors in the host cities.
The world football governing body also requires some assurances on the financial stability of the host countries.
Other countries which have shown interest in staging the 2034 World Cup include China, Egypt, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and joint bidders Australia and New Zealand.
