The 2034 World Cup, due to take place in Saudi Arabia, could be brought forward by 10 months in what reports claim would be a major shake-up to the Premier League calendar.
As the sole candidate to host the competition, Saudi Arabia is expected to get the rights to host the biggest football competition of the past decade. The announcement is expected next week.
FIFA’s 211 member states will meet at a congress to officially announce the hosts for both the 2030 and 2034 competitions, although with no rival it is extremely unlikely that Saudi Arabia will not host the latter competition will be appointed.
Meanwhile, it is expected that there will be as many as six host countries by 2030, with Spain, Portugal and Morocco set to see the vast majority of matches, while the first three will be played in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay.
However, given the sweltering summer heat in Saudi Arabia, it is highly likely that football fans will be watching another winter tournament, similar to Qatar 2022, although it is still scheduled for a summer start.
Two years ago the World Cup started in November, with European football halted for just over a month, but this time around a January start date reportedly discussed to avoid a clash with Ramadan.
Saudi Arabia will be named host of the 2034 World Cup at next week’s FIFA Congress (Photo, FIFA President Gianni Infantino)
Football in Saudi Arabia during the summer months poses a risk to the well-being of players and fans due to the sweltering heat
Ramadan – a month of fasting, reflection, community and faith as part of what is considered one of the holiest periods observed by Muslims around the world – will fall between November 11 and December 10 in 2034, making a World Cup ruled out. comparable to that of Qatar.
The only other options would be during the summer – when the 40-degree heat would be a danger to players and fans alike – or at the very beginning of the year, with a postponed winter break.
According to reportsThere is therefore talk of a kick-off in early January, unless there is an unlikely agreement from the Saudi authorities that does not allow the celebration of this most sacred festival.
With the Winter Olympics starting on February 10 in Salt Lake City, Utah, it is unlikely that the World Championships could start later than early January to fit around this.
Furthermore, even if organizers wanted to interrupt the European run-in with a competition in March and April, this would cause a massive disruption to the existing calendar.
End-of-season matches such as the Champions League final, FA Cup final and crucial matches in competitions across Europe would have to be postponed, meaning the season could end in mid-summer, rather than at the end of May .
The World Cup will last 38 days, given the expansion of the upcoming edition in the US, Canada and Mexico to welcome 48 teams, up from 32.
FIFA’s evaluation report claims that Saudi Arabia’s bid states: ‘A number of considerations must be taken into account, ranging from climatic conditions to the schedule of football and other sporting and cultural events, local and global .’
The host countries of the 2030 and 2034 World Cup will be officially announced at the FIFA Congress next week
Temperatures in the Saudi Arabian summer regularly exceed 40 degrees between May and September
“Temperatures in Saudi Arabia are at their mildest between October and April,” the report says, and between May and September “peak daytime temperatures can exceed 40 degrees at the hottest times of the day in Riyadh.”
“Any decision on the timing of the competition would take these matters into consideration in seeking to provide optimal conditions for teams and spectators,” the report added.
“Furthermore, it would be important to take religious events into account when determining the timeline for the competition.
‘Ramadan, the annual Islamic period of fasting and prayer, and the annual Hajj pilgrimage, when more than 1.5 million pilgrims travel to Saudi Arabia from around the world, should be taken into account, as should the period from Christmas to New Year. late December and early January.’