Saudi Arabia Plans to Host 2034 World Cup in January 2035

Saudi Arabia is reportedly planning to stage the 2034 FIFA World Cup in January 2035 instead of the conventional November–December window, owing to the overlap with Ramadan during late 2034.

The tournament may be postponed into the next calendar year to enable Muslim players to compete without fasting constraints—a challenge when matches coincide with daylight hours.
In recent statements, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has called for greater flexibility in scheduling major tournaments, citing climate, calendar congestion, and religious observance as key factors affecting traditional timing.

If confirmed, this shift would echo precedent: the 2022 Qatar World Cup was moved to late in the year to avoid summer heat, breaking the June–July norm for the first time in World Cup history.

The decision, however, has not been made official. Stakeholders, including FIFA, regional confederations, and national associations, will need to coordinate logistics, qualifying windows, and broadcast arrangements.