With Australia pulling out of the bid to host the World Cup in 2034, Saudi Arabia remained the only candidate and the president of the Saudi Football Association claims the tournament could be staged in the summer season rather than just the winter season, as was the case in 2022, when it was hosted by Qatar.
"There are many new technologies that enable cooling, it is also possible to install additional air conditioners in stadiums, and there are many cities in the kingdom that have a very pleasant climate in the summer. We are ready for all possibilities," said Yasser Al-Misehal, head of the Saudi Football Federation, in a statement to AFP.
The deadline set by the International Football Federation (FIFA) for submitting a bid to host the World Cup in 2034 expired on the last day of October. Since Australia withdrew, Saudi Arabia remained the only candidate, so it is certain that it will be resolved, which will be decided at the end of 2024.
According to Al-Misehal, Saudi Arabia will be the first country to independently organize the tournament with 48 national teams, as it will not seek partners in other countries.
The first World Cup in which 48 nations will participate will be jointly organized by the United States of America, Canada and Mexico in 2026.
Four years later, the organizers will be Spain, Portugal and Morocco, where one match will be played in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay, as part of the centenary celebration of the first World Cup held in Montevideo in 1930.