Saudi Arabia ‘humbled’ by prospect of hosting 2034 Fifa World Cup – and could stage it in winter

Saudi Arabia considers hosting the Fifa World Cup in 2034 “an honour and a privilege”, and would be ready to do so at any time of the year, the head of its football federation said on Wednesday.

The desert kingdom was the only country to bid to stage the tournament, with Australia deciding to opt out hours before Tuesday’s deadline.

With the next two editions being shared across multiple countries – in Mexico, Canada and the United States in 2026, and Spain, Portugal and Morocco four years later – Saudi Arabia alone submitted their bid moments after the application process opened on October 4.

The president of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, Yasser al-Misehal, said the country was “humbled” when its bid received “massive support from over 125 Fifa member associations across the world”.

“Driven by a huge passion for the game by our young nation, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation is fully committed to meeting and exceeding the bid’s requirements,” al-Misehal said. “Every single member of our football family is putting their full effort to achieving our nation’s dream of one day hosting a Fifa World Cup on home soil.”