Saudi Arabia confirms bid to host FIFA World Cup 2034: when would it be played?

Barring any last-minute surprises, Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup. A World Cup on Saudi Arabian soil would once again present FIFA with a significant obstacle to contend with, as the issue of switching the tournament away from its “traditional” dates would be back on the table.

Saudi Arabia hotter than Qatar in June and July

Saudi Arabia is even hotter in June and July than Qatar, which hosted the 2022 World Cup in November and December last year, leaving world soccer’s governing body with little choice but to delay the on-field action for several months once again. Domestic and international club campaigns in numerous parts of the globe were disrupted by the 2022 edition, with players, coaches and clubs alike criticising the fixture pile-up caused by the switch.

Clubs, players and coaches concerned over too many games

Concerns over the constantly increasing demands placed on players to perform in more and more matches have only grown in the months since the tournament. Moving the World Cup back into the middle of the most countries’ “normal” seasons was hugely unpopular in 2022 and FIFA will have a lot of explaining to do if the scenario is repeated only 12 years later. The European Club Association (ECA) have been critical of plans to expand the tournament from 32 to 48 teams and have yet to address rumours of Saudi Arabia being named as hosts, although its members are unlikely to be best pleased.

Saudi Arabia submit Letter of Intent to host 2034 World Cup

Mohammed bin Salman, the country’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister, announced Saudi Arabia’s intention to bid to host the 2034 tournament in the aftermath of last Wednesday’s FIFA Council meeting, which revealed the 2030 edition would be held across six countries in three different continents.

Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) President Yasser Al Misehal has now confirmed the Gulf state have officially applied to host the tournament. “This is the second step of a hugely exciting journey that the nation is embarking on. Last week we announced our ambitions to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, and this official submission continues our journey to make the dreams of our people a reality. The 2034 FIFA World Cup is our invitation to the world to witness Saudi Arabia’s development, experience its culture and become part of its history. We are extremely committed to presenting the most competitive bid possible that will also help unite the world through football.”

Which other countries are interested in hosting the 2034 World Cup?

According to the SAFF, “more than 70 FIFA member associations around the world” have publicly pledged their support for their bid, which would leave little hope for other potential bidders. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (led by Thailand), China, Australia-New Zealand and Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan have previously shown interest.