Throughout history, the World Cup has been played between June and July. This rule was broken only in the 2022 edition in Qatar, where the tournament was held between November and December due to the high temperatures in the Arabian Gulf region during the summer months.
Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup, and given the hot weather in June and July, the Qatari scenario will most likely be repeated. However, Ramadan, which falls in November and December 2034, will make it impossible to hold the tournament at the same time.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino appeared before the European Club Association’s General Assembly and called for opening up major tournaments to winter as well as summer matches.
The Swiss added, “Even in some European countries, the weather is very hot in July. So maybe we need to think about the best month to play football, which is June in Europe. There aren’t many matches, right?”
According to The Athletic, the most likely proposed date for the 2034 World Cup to kick off is January 2035, immediately after the end of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr.
This will undoubtedly create a relative crisis in the club tournament schedule, but it remains the best option in terms of atmosphere and without causing problems for Arab fans hosting the tournament due to the Ramadan clash.
It’s worth noting that Saudi Arabia will be the first country to host the 48-team World Cup. The 2026 edition will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, while the 2030 edition will be played in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with three matches being held in Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina.
