ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast — Saudi Arabia added to its fast-rising investment in global soccer amid a 2034 World Cup hosting bid when its tourist board was confirmed Thursday as the main sponsor of the inaugural African Football League.said “Visit Saudi” will sponsor the eight-team knockout competition running from Oct. 20-Nov. 11 with “openness to extending this collaboration for future editions.”
The value of the deal was not disclosed. The league is expected to pay much less than the $100 million prize money promised last year by CAF when a planned 24-team event was launched.to bid to host the men’s 2034 World Cup. FIFA set an Oct. 31 deadline for expressions of interest and a formal bidding agreement must follow by Nov. 30.
Saudi soccer officials have claimed support already from more than 70 of the 211 FIFA member federations which will elect the 2034 host at a meeting expected late next year. Africa has 54 members of FIFA. “Visit Saudi” was a third-tier sponsor of the men’s 2022 World Cup in a deal FIFA did not announce before the tournament started in Qatar.They told FIFA that although “some important and positive gender equality reforms have commenced in Saudi Arabia, it remains undeniable under any reasonable standard that the rights of women remain severely restricted.”