2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia: What to expect

When will the 2034 World Cup take place?

Nothing is for sure yet, but given that the World Cup in neighboring Qatar was played in the winter, throwing the European football schedule out of whack, a repeat is likely.

In Saudi Arabia's bid report, they detail that the weather in June and July in major cities like Riyadh and Jeddah would be between 32 and 38 degrees Celsius (89.6 and 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit ) — conditions that are not conducive to playing. Temperatures in the country are at their mildest between October and April, which poses a challenge to organizers.

Furthermore, tournament organizers will also have to consider Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting and prayer taking place from mid-November to mid-December in 2034.

With the global player's union FIFPro currently going after FIFA because of an overloaded playing calendar, football's world governing body will have to manage the complicated European playing schedule, especially with the reformed Champions League format now including games in January.

What about the stadiums?

They are likely to be some of the most unusual stadiums ever seen at a World Cup, especially if the FIFA report on the bid is to be believed.

Some of the new stadiums will be designed by Populous, a US architecture firm that is also designing Morocco's new stadium for the 2030 World Cup and is set to build a multi-use, climate-neutral, 20,000-capacity event arena in Munich in the coming years. The designs include a stadium built at the top of a 200-meter cliff with an exposed segment. The concept of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium is straight out of a sci-fi movie.

Organizers say there will be 15 stadiums across five cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, Abha, Al-Khobar and Neom. The latter is a city that is yet to be built and is part of the country's 2030 vision to diversify the kingdom's economy away from oil.

Given that 12 of the 15 stadiums are set to be in Riyadh, the capital, and Jeddah, a port city on the Red Sea, the tournament will mostly feel quite similar to Qatar, where all the stadiums were in close proximity. Those traveling around the country will likely look to fly, given that Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Middle East and is around six times bigger than Germany.

Some venues will debut at the 2027 Asian Cup, but all eyes will be on the completion of Riyadh's King Salman International Stadium. It is planned to have a capacity of 92,000 and will host the opening ceremony and 2034 final.

Will everyone be welcome?

As was the case in Qatar, same-sex relations are illegal. In Saudi Arabia, being transgender is not recognized. Women's rights are also restricted.

Speaking to the BBC in late 2023, Saudi Arabia's sports minister, Prince Abdulaziz, said, "Everyone's welcome in the kingdom. Like any other nation, we have rules and regulations that everyone should abide by and respect."

Similar things were said ahead of the tournament in 2022, although tolerance had its limits. Rainbow flags and hats were taken off fans and journalists at the tournament. Manuel Neuer, among others, dropped their plan to wear "One Love" armbands after FIFA threatened to book any player wearing one. Germany's response was to pose for their pre-match photo with their hands over their mouths, with then-head coach Hansi Flick later confirming this was the team showing they felt FIFA was silencing teams. Recently, Germany captain Joshua Kimmich said he regretted making the gesture.

What about alcohol?

Alcohol is illegal in Saudi Arabia, and drinking it can lead to fines, prison sentences or even deportation. 

However, given that alcohol laws have been relaxed in the wider Gulf region in recent years and that alcohol was served at a fan zone in Doha, there is a chance regulations might be relaxed by 2034. FIFA though will not press the local government on the issue.

Stadium beer sales were banned in Qatar and that will remain the case according to a report from the Guardian citing senior sources from within world football's governing body.

What about the cost?

There is no official or reported number for how much this tournament will cost. Given that Qatar spent $220 billion, making the 2020 edition the most expensive tournament ever, it seems likely that Saudi Arabia will spend even more. The kingdom has invested around €6 billion in sports since 2021, and the budget for a home World Cup appears limitless.

Human rights groups are concerned about stadium and infrastructure development. With 11 of the 15 stadiums yet to be built along with 10 fan zones, there is still much ambitious work to deliver on. The same applies to the required public transport improvements, with high-speed rail and a new metro in Riyadh expected. 

Human rights campaigners have long said that the country's human rights violations are a major concern and that the government is using sport to detract from its issues. The Saudi government insists that their investment in sports is opening up tourism and boosting their economy.

In FIFA's evaluation of the Saudi bid, it awarded a 4.2 out of 5, saying that the tournament had "good potential" to "serve as a catalyst for reform."

Amnesty International, a humanitarian organization, has said on numerous occasions that a World Cup in the country should not take place unless major human rights reforms were made.

Edited by: Matt Pearson