Saudi Arabia “open” to World Cup 2034 in summer: what is the temperature in June and July?

FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed on Tuesday that World Cup 2034 would be held in Saudi Arabia for the first time ever, hours after Australia announced they would not be following up their initial interest in hosting the tournament, leaving the Gulf state as the only bidder.

Huge criticism for FIFA’s latest host decision

The decision made by world soccer’s governing body has attracted plenty of criticism, not least for once again allowing their flagship event to be organised by a country wth serious human rights issues, as well as laws against homosexuality, gender inequality and freedom of speech, as was the case with 2022 hosts Qatar.

And as was also the case with Qatar, concerns have also been voiced over the potential moving of the World Cup away from its usual June-July spot, which happened for the first time in last year’s tournament.

Players could boycott World Cup 2034

Hours after Saudi Arabia was announced as 2034 host, Maheta Molango, the CEO of the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA, the trade union for professional association footballers in England and Wales), revealed there was a serious risk of elite-level players choosing not to play in the tournament due to the excessive workload it would entail.

How could the tournament be played in Saudi Arabia in summer?

Molango’s fears come in conjunction to the prospect of the 2034 World Cup switching to the end of the year, which would see domestic seasons extended. However, Saudi Arabian Football Federation president Yasser al-Misehal has told AFP there was a chance the tournament could yet be played in its traditional time slot.

“Of course, we are ready for all possibilities. 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.”

What is the temperature in Jeddah and Riyadh in June and July?

Cities such as Abha, Taif and Al-Baha, which don’t have such extreme temperatures in summer, hosted the Arab Club Champions Cup in July and August. However, the stadiums there are not of World Cup-class, with the vast majority of the country’s biggest venues located in Jeddah and Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia’s biggest cities are significantly hotter, with an average temperature of 88-90ºF in Jeddah in June and July, which rises to 95-97ºF in Riyadh. The maximum in the former usually hits 97-98ºF and can reach 107-109ºF in the latter.

When does the Saudi Pro League season start and finish?

The Saudi Pro League season starts in August and runs through until May, avoiding the summer months. Even so, evening games scheduled for August and September, as well as from March until the end of the season, are regularly played at 86ºF or more, a far cry from what the majority of the world’s leading players are used to.