Saudi Arabia’s 2034 World Cup inspires youth participation

FIFA’s announcement on Wednesday that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup, is further evidence that the Kingdom has entered and is living in a new era.

This new era is characterized by progress, economic diversification, hosting large sporting events, development in the tourism sector, attracting foreign investment, and advances in many other sectors.

It has been more than eight years since the Kingdom released its Vision 2030 officially in a bid to cut down its oil dependence and modernize the country. Indeed, every new plan developed for the Kingdom seems to achieve success, particularly in areas such as sport, where expectations among people were modest.

Yet the Kingdom has now succeeded in securing the hosting of the 2034 World Cup, which is considered the most significant sporting event worldwide. Prior to this, the Kingdom also succeeded in attracting some of the world’s most exciting footballers to play in the country.

Years ago, after the announcement of Vision 2030 on April 25, 2016, professionals across the Kingdom, including recent graduates, began actively discussing how to shape their career paths to align with and contribute to this ambitious vision. Over the past few years, numerous programs have been introduced to foster visionary leadership and equip both experienced and emerging leaders with the skills needed to challenge conventions, drive progress, and achieve the vision’s bold objectives.

A key factor in this success was the cultivation of strong teamwork in the workplace, where individuals thrive when they feel part of a collective achievement and work collaboratively toward shared goals.

Recognizing the critical role of youth empowerment in realizing Vision 2030, organizations such as the Misk Foundation have established a range of leadership programs. Under the slogan, “Misk Leadership empowers youth to shape their leadership style, drive large-scale change in a fast-paced world, and contribute to Vision 2030,” these initiatives focus on nurturing the next generation of leaders. By equipping young talent with the tools to lead effectively, Misk is helping to build a future-oriented workforce ready to tackle the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow.

The number of inspiring Saudi leaders active on social media who share their leadership models has increased significantly in the Kingdom in the past few years.

For example, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the Saudi minister of energy, is a great example of an active leader during this important era in the Kingdom who fosters strong communication and engagement with the audience, talking about his experience as a leader on many occasions. Prince Abdulaziz’s passion for sustainable development and energy transformation is evident in his unwavering commitment to advancing the goals of Vision 2030. His dedication inspires those around him to share in his vision of shaping a brighter and more sustainable future for the Kingdom.

To be more specific, when leadership enables and supports everyone while inspiring individuals to excel — not only to reach their full potential but to surpass limits they never knew existed — it creates extraordinary results, which the Kingdom will need in the coming years. As a result, this kind of leadership fosters a culture of empowerment and collaboration, resulting in win-win situations that benefit everyone involved.

To sum up, as Saudi Arabia's economy continues to expand and diversify, programs such as the Misk Foundation, along with universities, institutions, and other organizations, should consider broadening their scope to equip Saudi youth and meet the nation’s evolving needs and ambitions within the Kingdom’s vision.

The hosting of the 2034 World Cup will inspire individuals within and beyond the country to contribute to its giga-projects. This landmark event not only demonstrates Saudi Arabia’s ability to execute giga-projects but also highlights the growing opportunities for youth, professionals, and leaders to play pivotal roles in shaping the Kingdom’s future.

• Nasser bin Hamed Al-Ahmad is a political researcher and writer with more than seven years’ experience in political media. He specializes in analyzing political trends in the MENA region and the US. X: @nasseralahmad3