Saudi Arabia named 2034 World Cup hosts with winter tournament planned

The bid was exclusively open to countries from Asia and Oceania regions capable of staging 104 matches.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has made several visits to Saudi Arabia in recent years, including trips to the palaces of Diriyah during the Covid pandemic in 2021.

The confirmation came alongside the approval of the Spain-Portugal-Morocco bid for the 2030 World Cup, with both decisions combined into a single vote at Wednesday's congress.

A January World Cup appears increasingly likely for Saudi Arabia 2034, as summer temperatures in the host nation regularly exceed 40C between May and September.

The tournament, which now runs for 38 days following expansion to 48 teams, faces significant scheduling challenges.

Organisers must navigate around several major events, including the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City scheduled for February 10.

The Islamic holy month of Ramadan, set for November 11 to December 10 in 2034, must also be considered in the planning.

FIFA's evaluation report acknowledges that temperatures are "mildest between October and April" in Saudi Arabia.

The Premier League and other European top divisions are expected to oppose a winter World Cup, following the fixture congestion experienced during Qatar 2022.

Between October and April, average temperatures in Saudi Arabia drop to between 20C and 30C, making these months more suitable for football.

Saudi Arabia plans to construct 11 new venues for the 2034 World Cup to complement their four existing stadiums.

Among the ambitious projects is a space-age $1billion 'cliffhanger' stadium, showcasing the nation's commitment to developing world-class infrastructure.

FIFA's evaluation report assessed Saudi Arabia's stadium infrastructure and accommodation as carrying a 'medium' risk.

The report included promises for "the establishment of robust workers' welfare systems to protect workers connected to tournament infrastructure."

This commitment follows significant criticism FIFA received regarding the treatment of migrant workers during Qatar's 2022 World Cup preparations.

FIFA's ties with Saudi Arabia have strengthened recently, including a reported $100 million annual sponsorship deal with oil and energy company Aramco, signed in April.

Reports suggest Saudi Arabia might also invest in DAZN, which recently secured exclusive global rights for FIFA's Club World Cup.

Saudi Arabia's bid received the highest ever score from FIFA's evaluation team, despite being rated as 'medium risk' on human rights concerns.

The evaluation report stated there was a commitment to "respecting, protecting and fulfilling internationally recognised human rights in connection with the competition."

This included areas such as safety, security, labour rights, children's rights, gender equality and non-discrimination.

The report noted "gaps and reservations in the implementation of relevant international standards, in particular where they are seen to contradict Islamic law."

Amnesty International responded strongly to FIFA's assessment, describing the report as "an astonishing whitewash."

No categories in the evaluation were deemed high risk, with both infrastructure and accommodation also receiving 'medium risk' ratings.

The Norwegian Football Federation (NFF) has emerged as a vocal critic of FIFA's World Cup hosting process.

NFF president Lise Klaveness stated on Tuesday: "Tomorrow's vote is not about who gets the 2030 and 2034 World Cups - that has already been decided."

The Nordic federation formally lodged its criticism in a letter to FIFA, requesting their concerns be recorded in the Congress minutes.

"The Congress is primarily about providing feedback on FIFA's allocation process. The board's assessment is that the process does not align with the principles of a sound and predictable governance system," Klaveness added.

The NFF previously announced it would vote against any effort to award the 2034 finals by acclamation.

British football associations have yet to comment on either the process or Saudi Arabia's suitability as hosts.

Human rights campaigners have warned that migrant workers could die without major reforms.