The race seemed a foregone conclusion, but it could ultimately prove more uncertain than expected. Two days after Saudi Arabia sent FIFA a letter of candidacy for the 2034 World Cup, another file came out of the woodwork. It involves four countries and concerns two continents.

Indonesia announced through the president of the football federation (PSSI) that it was in discussions with Australia to enter the race for the World Cup. A project that could also encompass two other Southeast Asian countries, Malaysia and Singapore.

« We are talking with Australia, confided Erick Thohir (photo above, center), the president of the PSSI, quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald. Malaysia and Singapore could join us. We discussed it during my visits to these two countries"

Still according to Erick Thohir, also a member of the IOC since 2019, the discussions between Australia and Indonesia do not start today. They would have started last March, after the FIFA congress in Rwanda. “ The Australians suggested we go together, continued the Indonesian leader. I said OK, we're in"

Can the project succeed? At this stage, his chances seem reduced. For several reasons.

The first is timing. Last week, FIFA announced in the wake of the attribution of the 2030 World Cup to Spain, Portugal, Morocco and the three South American countries – Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay – that the following edition would be entrusted to one or more countries from the Asian (AFC) and/or Oceanian (OFC) confederations. The body also specified that applications should reach it no later than October 31, 2023.

With such a short deadline, the four countries under discussion will have to act quickly. And even very quickly. Obviously, Indonesia is already off to a flying start. But Australia seems to want to procrastinate. In response to media requests, Football Australia simply referred to a previously published statement, where it explains “ explore the possibility of bidding for the Club World Cup in 2029 and/or the World Cup in 2034. »Malaysia and Singapore, for their part, did not comment on the Indonesian leader's comments.

Another obstacle: Indonesia experienced a sporting year 2023 that was hardly compatible with its ambitions. In March, it lost the organization of the Under-20 World Cup, FIFA having decided to sanction with this withdrawal the refusal of the governor of Bali to welcome the Israel team. Four months later, the country announced to everyone's surprise that it would not organize the World Beach Games and the general assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), scheduled for August in Bali. Official reason: a lack of budget.

In the meantime, FIFA froze its financial aid to the Indonesian Football Federation, before entrusting it, against all expectations, with hosting the Under-17 World Cup (November 10 to December 2, 2023), a competition initially attributed to Peru.

Finally, the Indonesian authorities will undoubtedly have to make a choice between the two major events in international sport: the Football World Cup and the Olympic Games. And they will have to decide quickly. Since last year, Indonesia has repeated its desire to obtain the organization of the Games in 2036. A candidacy for the Football World Cup two years earlier would risk confusing its message.