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World Cup 2034: Does Saudi Arabia shelving Neom Stadium spell trouble?

Since winning the right to hold the 2034 World Cup unopposed, Saudi Arabia has been pulling away from sport. With reports that its most ambitious stadium project will be abandoned, what does this mean for the World Cup?

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan revealed on Thursday that Istanbul is currently evaluating potential assistance for Saudi Arabia in response to attacks from Yemen's Houthis, as part of the Makkah defence pact signed between the three nations. The pact, signed on August 7, aims to strengthen collective defense and encourage member states to view an attack against one as an attack against all.

Fidan stated that technical evaluations are underway, focusing on potential contributions, particularly in air defense. He emphasized that the agreement is defensive, not offensive, and that Turkey is not planning to send troops to another country's land. The process of obtaining the agreement's text for approval by the Turkish parliament is complete.

The emergency meeting of the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement in Riyadh on Monday saw Turkey, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia agree to rapidly deploy military forces and capabilities to the kingdom. While the statement did not specify any threat, the move comes amid escalating Houthi attacks in Yemen. Pakistani troops have reportedly been in Saudi Arabia for decades, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has confirmed the agreement is defensive, with no offensive intentions.

Written by urgent.news from Dawn's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

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