SAUDI ARABIA LAUNCHES FORMAL BID FOR 2034 WORLD CUP

Saudi Arabia launched its formal bid campaign Friday to play host to the 2034 World Cup, in a race that became a formality in October when the oil-rich kingdom was the only candidate to enter the contest.

The Saudi Arabian soccer federation revealed the bid slogan “Growing. Together” and a campaign logo of two multicoloured ribbons forming the number 34.

The logo “is designed to capture the essence of Saudi Arabia's young nation, vibrant society and rich heritage,” the federation said.

FIFA is expected to rubber-stamp Saudi Arabia as host in an uncontested vote by the governing body's 211 member federations before the end of 2024. A date and venue for the vote has not been announced.

Saudi Arabia currently aims to hold the tournament alone, though some games could later be shared with neighbouring and nearby states.

The NFL has tested an electronic system for measuring first downs and will gauge the interest of teams and their owners in implementing such a system as soon as next season, league officials said.

“There is some” interest by teams and owners in putting such a system to use, said Troy Vincent, the NFL's executive vice-president of football operations.

The league is not quite ready to retire its sticks-and-chain system for determining whether a team has reached the yard line necessary to gain a first down, however. League officials said the expectation is the electronic system could be used as a supplemental officiating tool, at least at first.

Vincent said the 2025 season is probably a more realistic target for the electronic system to be used extensively.

The NFL said it tested the optical tracking camera technology for line-to-gain rulings at games in Miami Gardens, Fla., and East Rutherford, N.J., and at the Super Bowl.

It also is studying the use of high-resolution cameras along the goal line, sideline and end line for instant replay decisions, the league said, along with the use of smartwatches by on-field game officials to assist with delay-of-game calls involving the play clock.