All You Need To Know About The Saudi Arabia World Cup 2034: Dates, Stadiums and Tickets

Over a year after Saudi Arabia emerged as the sole contender for the 2034 World Cup, FIFA officially confirmed their status as hosts on December 11.

In a historic congress held online and attended by all 211 member associations, the unopposed bid (with only Norway expressing opposition) was approved, ensuring that the Gulf nation will follow the 2030 centenary tournament, which was also confirmed for Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay.

After years of lobbying, Saudi Arabia has secured its moment and can now move forward with plans to become the first nation to host a 48-team tournament independently.

While doubts and scrutiny are expected in the years leading up to the opening ceremony in Riyadh, FIFA President Gianni Infantino insists that Saudi Arabia will be a worthy host.

Here’s everything we know so far about the 2034 World Cup finals.

When Will the 2034 World Cup Be Played?

One of the biggest questions surrounding the 2034 World Cup is its timing. While the traditional European football calendar was disrupted when Qatar hosted the first winter World Cup in 2022, more changes may be expected a decade from now.

The climate in Saudi Arabia poses a challenge for hosting the tournament during the usual June and July window. According to Saudi Arabia’s own bid data, average daily temperatures in Riyadh and Jeddah range between 32 and 38 degrees Celsius (89.6°F to 100.4°F), making summer play difficult.

Although a summer World Cup has never been ruled out, it’s anticipated that FIFA, emboldened by its previous decision with Qatar, will adjust the schedule. As stated in Saudi’s bid prospectus, “We are committed to working closely with FIFA to determine the best time of the year for the competition.”

However, Saudi Arabia faces unique complications. The bid highlighted that the timing of Ramadan, which runs from mid-November to mid-December 2034, and the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, must be considered when selecting the World Cup dates.

This would make January 2034 the most likely option, as long as it finishes before the Winter Olympics, set to begin in Salt Lake City on February 10, in order to avoid conflicting with sponsors of both major events.

However, this plan faces opposition from domestic leagues and club competitions.

The 2022 World Cup, which ended just seven days before Christmas, compressed domestic seasons, and another tournament in January—now a month for Champions League fixtures due to UEFA’s expanded format—would create discomfort, especially considering the need for clubs to release players a week before the tournament. For instance, the Premier League took a 43-day break during the 2022-23 season.

Additionally, there is increasing concern among European players’ unions, who argue that elite footballers are already being overburdened. FIFA, which governs the international match calendar, is facing growing criticism and a legal challenge that was initiated earlier this summer.

How Many Teams Will Compete?

Starting in 2026, the number of teams in the World Cup will increase from 32 to 48, a format that will continue into both the 2030 and 2034 tournaments. This expansion allows 16 additional teams the chance to qualify.

With this increase, the tournament will feature a lot of action. The 12 groups of four teams each will result in 72 matches before the knockout rounds, with the eventual champions playing a total of eight games.

At this stage, the only team assured of participation is Saudi Arabia, as the host nation.

Host Cities and Venues for the 2034 World Cup

Unlike the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in 16 cities across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and the 2030 tournament, which spans three continents and 20 cities, the 2034 World Cup will have a more localized feel, similar to Qatar 2022.

All 104 matches will take place within Saudi Arabia, with the majority hosted in just two cities. While Al Khobar, Abha, and Neom have been named as host cities, Riyadh and Jeddah will be home to 12 of the 15 stadiums.

Riyadh, with a population twice the size of Qatar’s, will feature eight venues, including the 92,000-capacity King Salman International Stadium. Named after the father of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, this stadium will host both the opening ceremony and the final match.

However, the scale of construction required for the tournament raises concerns among human rights activists. Eleven of the 15 venues are set to be built from scratch, and the remaining four will undergo major refurbishments. This construction surge is expected to intensify scrutiny over workers’ rights in the kingdom.

The Aramco Stadium, under construction in Al Khobar, is expected to be ready for the 2027 Asian Cup. However, most of the venues are still in early stages, with ground yet to be broken on several projects.

Neom, a planned futuristic city near the Red Sea, will have one host stadium and is also set to be the venue for the World Cup draws, which will take place at The Line Convention Centre, another development still in the planning stages.

Ticket Availability for the 2034 World Cup

The details about when and how tickets will be available are still far off, and it’s even further from when sales will actually begin.

For the 2026 World Cup, the ticket sales process has not yet started, but if we look at the previous World Cup in Qatar, the first phase of sales began 10 months before the tournament kicked off. During that phase, FIFA received 17 million ticket requests, including 1.8 million for the final alone.

For the 2022 World Cup, ticket prices ranged from £190 ($243 or ₹21,711) to £60 for group-stage matches. FIFA also created a special category for Qatari residents, offering the lowest ticket prices.

With an average stadium capacity of about 55,000 across the 15 venues in Saudi Arabia, it’s estimated that around 5.7 million tickets will be available for the entire competition.

LGBTQI+ Rights and Inclusion in Saudi Arabia During the 2034 World Cup

Awarding the World Cup to Saudi Arabia raises concerns about LGBTQI+ rights, as same-sex relations remain illegal in the country, with punishments that can include the death penalty. This echoes the situation in Qatar in 2022, where LGBTQI+ rights were similarly restricted.

Saudi Arabia has stated that visitors will be welcomed during the 2034 World Cup. Hammad Albalawi, the head of the Saudi bid, assured in September that everyone will be treated with respect. “You will be respected,” he said. “You will be welcome in Saudi Arabia, and that respect and welcome extend to everyone from all around the world. We respect the privacy of all our guests.”

While this echoes Qatar’s approach, which also claimed to welcome all guests, tolerance during the 2022 World Cup had its limits. Plans for captains of seven teams to wear “one love” armbands, symbolizing support for LGBTQI+ rights, were dropped after FIFA threatened to penalize any player wearing one. FIFA’s rules prohibit any “political, religious, or personal messages or slogans” on the field.

Germany’s team responded by posing for a pre-match photo with their hands over their mouths, a silent protest against FIFA’s stance, which their coach, Hansi Flick, explained was meant to convey the message that FIFA was silencing teams.

There were also incidents in Qatar where rainbow-colored items, such as flags and hats, were confiscated from supporters and journalists. Laura McAllister, the former Wales captain and a gay woman, shared her experience of being asked to remove a rainbow-colored bucket hat during the tournament. Although Wales fans were later assured that the hats would be allowed in subsequent matches, such incidents left many feeling uncomfortable.

Alcohol Policies for Visitors During the 2034 World Cup

Saudi Arabia has been a dry state for over 70 years, with alcohol consumption and sale strictly prohibited. However, a recent report by Reuters in January revealed that a shop would open in Riyadh for non-Muslim diplomats, hinting that alcohol laws might be relaxed by 2034.

The broader Gulf region has already seen some loosening of alcohol restrictions, and Qatar made alcohol available to visiting fans during the 2022 World Cup in select areas, such as hotels and restaurants. In Doha’s fan zone at Al Bidda Park, beer was sold between 7 pm and 1 am, though it was not available at stadiums, except in corporate hospitality areas. Fans were informed only 48 hours before the tournament began that Budweiser, the event’s sponsor, would not be sold at the venues.

Saudi Arabia will likely take lessons from Qatar’s experience, but they will need to make their own key decisions regarding alcohol policies ahead of the 2034 World Cup.

Read More: Why Saudi Arabia’s 2034 World Cup is Controversial: Human Rights, Worker Conditions, and FIFA’s Role

FAQs