Saudi Arabia ‘humbled’ by prospect of hosting 2034 Fifa World Cup – and could stage it in winter
- Saudi Arabia is the only country to bid to host the 2034 Fifa World Cup, when Australia opts out hours before the deadline on Tuesday
- President of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation says the country is ‘ready for all possibilities’ regarding hosting the tournament in winter or summer
Saudi Arabia considers hosting the Fifa World Cup in 2034 “an honour and a privilege”, and would be ready to do so at any time of the year, the head of its football federation said on Wednesday.
The desert kingdom was the only country to bid to stage the tournament, with Australia deciding to opt out hours before Tuesday’s deadline.
With the next two editions being shared across multiple countries – in Mexico, Canada and the United States in 2026, and Spain, Portugal and Morocco four years later – Saudi Arabia alone submitted their bid moments after the application process opened on October 4.
The president of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, Yasser al-Misehal, said the country was “humbled” when its bid received “massive support from over 125 Fifa member associations across the world”.
“Driven by a huge passion for the game by our young nation, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation is fully committed to meeting and exceeding the bid’s requirements,” al-Misehal said. “Every single member of our football family is putting their full effort to achieving our nation’s dream of one day hosting a Fifa World Cup on home soil.”
Speaking at the Asian Football Confederation awards in Doha on Tuesday, where Saudi’s Salem al-Dawsari was named men’s player of the year, al-Misehal said the kingdom was “ready for all possibilities”, when it came to whether the event was held in the summer or winter.
Saudi Arabia’s apparently successful bid, just 27 days after announcing it, came less than a year after its neighbour Qatar held the first winter World Cup, a decision that forced a pause to league competitions in Europe.
Summers in the desert kingdom can touch 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit), temperatures considered dangerous for players as well as fans.
“Today there are many new technologies that help you with cooling or adding air conditioners in stadiums, in addition to the fact that there are many cities in the kingdom that enjoy a very wonderful atmosphere in the summer,” al-Misehal told AFP.
