Swiss Gianni Infantino, President of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), revealed the proposed schedule for the 2034 World Cup finals to be held in Saudi Arabia.

In December 2024, FIFA officially announced Saudi Arabia’s successful bid to host the 2034 World Cup, after its file received the highest technical score in the history of the World Cup tournaments, scoring 419.8 out of 500 points.

Gianni Infantino told the British newspaper “The Athletic” that the football industry needs more openness and flexibility regarding the timing of major tournaments, noting that the World Cup cannot always be held during the northern hemisphere summer because climate and the diversity of host countries impose a new reality on the international football calendar.

The FIFA president explained that the 2022 edition held in Qatar was a successful example of organizing the World Cup in winter, as it was moved to November and December to avoid extreme heat, which forced European leagues to pause mid-season but allowed players to participate in the tournament in the best possible physical condition.

Infantino added that this model could serve as a reference for organizing future tournaments in hot climate regions, such as Saudi Arabia.

The FIFA president confirmed that awarding Saudi Arabia the 2034 World Cup reflects great confidence in its organizational capacity and advanced infrastructure developed in recent years. He indicated that the tournament is expected to be held again in winter, with a possible postponement to January 2035 to avoid coinciding with Ramadan, which will fall between November and December 2034.

Source: Media outlets