An Australian bid was seen as the only serious potential challenger to Saudi Arabia, after FIFA restricted the process so only countries from Oceania and Asia could put themselves forward.
Hosting a men's World Cup has long been an ambition for Saudi Arabia writes BBC sports editor Dan Roan, but questions and intense scrutiny will remain.
Oh, by the way, the Marshall Islands has no national soccer team. The Marshall Islands are not a member of FIFA, soccer's international governing body. The country’s first attempt to join an official regional soccer organization could come with the Oceania Football Confederation or the Asian Football Confederation.