Saudi Arabia considers playing World Cup at 40 degrees Celsius
Last year's Winter World Cup attracted a lot of international criticism. The leagues had to adjust their match schedules. This may not be necessary for 2034. Saudi Arabia would also be happy with a tournament in the summer - despite temperatures of more than 40 degrees Celsius.
Saudi Arabia wants to examine whether the 2034 FIFA World Cup can also take place in the traditional World Cup months of June and July. Both a summer and a winter World Cup are possible, said the country's sports minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, in an interview with the British broadcaster BBC. "We are definitely looking at both options to see what is the best way to host the World Cup," said the sports minister. The 2022 World Cup in neighboring Qatar was held in winter due to the high summer temperatures, which caused a lot of international criticism.
In June, the average temperature in the Saudi capital Riyadh is over 40 degrees Celsius, in Jeddah on the Red Sea it is 38 degrees. In November, it would be slightly cooler with average temperatures of around 32 degrees Celsius. "It doesn't matter to us whether it takes place in summer or winter," said Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal in the interview, "as long as we make sure that we create the right atmosphere for such an event."
In October, the Council of the world governing body FIFA surprisingly made a fundamental decision regarding the awarding of the 2030 and 2034 Men's World Cups, which was also criticized by human rights organizations: in 2030, the World Cup will mainly be played in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with opening matches in South America to mark the 100th anniversary of the World Cup. For 2034, only a host from Asia or the Oceania region can therefore be considered - the only candidate is Saudi Arabia.
At the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada, temperatures of 30 degrees and above will also prevail in some of the 16 host cities. The home stadiums of the Dallas Cowboys and the Houston Texans, where it is likely to be particularly hot, are therefore air-conditioned and have structures that allow the pitch to be completely covered.
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Saudi Arabia is exploring the possibility of hosting the 2034 Soccer World Cup in June or July, despite the scorching temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius in Riyadh during that period. If selected, Saudi Arabia would become the first country to stage a summer Soccer World Cup with temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, potentially eclipsing the controversy surrounding the 2022 Soccer World Cup in neighboring Saudi Arabia's Qatar, which was moved to winter due to extreme heat.
Source: www.ntv.de
