There remains a strong chance the 2034 FIFA World Cup in Saudi Arabia will take place during the cooler winter months, mirroring Qatar 2022.
Asian Football Confederation president Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa confirmed the idea has his backing, though no final decision has been made.
FIFA announced last year that Saudi Arabia would host the 2034 tournament after an unopposed bid, making it the second country from the Arabian Peninsula to stage football’s biggest event.
“The time will come for them to decide, but I think I agree why the World Cup should not only be in the summer,” Sheikh Salman told Dawn during his visit to Pakistan.
He noted that even in countries like the United States, set to co-host the 2026 edition, extreme summer heat poses challenges for players.
Referring to Qatar’s success, Sheikh Salman said the winter scheduling helped players perform at their peak. “You can see the difference on the pitch,” he said, highlighting Lionel Messi’s standout displays as key evidence.
He also praised Qatar’s organisation, calling it “the best World Cup I’ve seen since I’ve been in football,” while lamenting that it did not receive enough global credit.
On the topic of future tournament expansion, Sheikh Salman cautioned against immediate change. “We haven’t tried the 48 teams yet,” he said. “We need to assess whether it’s good or bad before going higher.”
While discussions about a 64-team format continue, Sheikh Salman stressed that host nations face major logistical and financial challenges.
With Saudi Arabia preparing to welcome the football world in 2034, Sheikh Salman believes Asia could soon become the natural home for future tournaments.
“I think Asia is probably the second continent that can host World Cups in the future,” he said. “With Qatar’s example, we’ve shown what’s possible.”
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