2034 World Cup: "Saudi Arabia is ready to face all possibilities” (Y. Al Misehal, SAFF)

"We are ready to face all possibilities," said Yasser Al Misehal, president of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF), on the sidelines of the AFC Awards ceremony in Doha (QAT) on 31/10/2023.

Asked about hosting the 2034 World Cup, for which Saudi Arabia is the sole candidate following Australia's withdrawal, and the extreme heat that the country faces during the summer, with temperatures reaching 50°C in places, Yasser Al Misehal explained that all scenarios are conceivable, including a World Cup over the November-December period, as was the case in Qatar in 2022. "There are many new technologies that can be used to cool stadiums or add air-conditioning units, not to mention the fact that many cities in the Kingdom enjoy a very pleasant atmosphere in summer."

"The Saudi Arabian Football Federation is fully committed to meeting and exceeding the requirements of FIFA's call for tenders," stated Yasser Al Misehal in a press release publishe the same day, just moments after the International Federation officially announced that it had received a single expression of interest…