World Cup 2034 in Saudi Arabia: Stadiums, Host Cities, Dates and Status
The 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia: how it was awarded, the 15 planned stadiums, the open question of dates, the NEOM stadium reports and the criticism.
Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, the first men’s World Cup hosted by a single country since Qatar 2022. Eight years before kick-off, many details are still open, including when in the year the tournament will be played. This guide sums up what is confirmed, what is planned and what remains uncertain as of October 2026.
The 2034 World Cup at a glance
| Fact | Status (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Host | Saudi Arabia (sole host) |
| Awarded | 11 December 2024, Extraordinary FIFA Congress (online) |
| Host cities in the bid | Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Abha, NEOM |
| Stadiums in the bid | 15 |
| Opening match and final | Planned for King Salman International Stadium, Riyadh |
| Dates | Not decided; a cooler-season tournament is expected |
| Teams | Not formally fixed; 48 under the current format |
How Saudi Arabia got the 2034 World Cup
The award happened unusually quickly:
- 4 October 2023: The FIFA Council decided that only member associations from the Asian (AFC) and Oceanian (OFC) confederations could bid for 2034. The 2026 and 2030 tournaments were already going to North America, Europe, Africa and South America.
- 31 October 2023: After an expression-of-interest window of under four weeks, Saudi Arabia was the only bidder. Australia considered a bid but decided not to enter.
- Requirements and evaluation: FIFA lowered the requirement for existing stadiums of at least 40,000 seats from seven to four, and later published its technical evaluation of the bid.
- 11 December 2024: An online Extraordinary FIFA Congress confirmed Saudi Arabia as host, at the same time as the 2030 hosts.
Critics argued that FIFA shaped the process to suit a single candidate. FIFA says the procedure followed its rotation principle and bidding regulations. For more on how hosts are chosen, see our overview of every World Cup host country.
Host cities and stadiums
The bid lists 15 stadiums in five cities. Most of them are still to be built.
| City | Stadium | Planned capacity | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riyadh | King Salman International Stadium | 92,760 | New |
| Riyadh | King Fahd Sports City Stadium | 70,200 | Renovation |
| Riyadh | South Riyadh Stadium | 47,060 | New |
| Riyadh | Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium (Qiddiya) | 46,979 | New |
| Riyadh | Prince Faisal bin Fahd Sports City Stadium | 46,865 | Renovation |
| Riyadh | King Saud University Stadium | 46,319 | Renovation |
| Riyadh | New Murabba Stadium | 46,010 | New |
| Riyadh | ROSHN Stadium | 46,000 | New |
| Jeddah | King Abdullah Sports City Stadium | 62,345 | Renovation |
| Jeddah | Qiddiya Coast Stadium | 46,096 | New |
| Jeddah | Jeddah Central Development Stadium | 45,794 | New |
| Jeddah | King Abdullah Economic City Stadium | 45,700 | New |
| Al Khobar | Aramco Stadium | 46,096 | New |
| Abha | King Khalid University Stadium | 45,428 | Renovation |
| NEOM | NEOM Stadium | about 46,000 | New, reported on hold |
Riyadh would host more than half the venues. The King Salman International Stadium is planned as the venue for the opening match and the final.
What happened to the NEOM stadium?
The NEOM Stadium was one of the most talked-about designs in the bid: a stadium inside “The Line”, a planned linear city, more than 350 metres above the ground. On 4 October 2026 Reuters reported, citing two sources, that the project had been shelved indefinitely. A projects database listed it as “on hold” with no completion date. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which owns NEOM, denied that projects had been cancelled. The 2034 hosting authority said construction milestones were being delivered but did not comment on the NEOM stadium specifically.
As of October 2026, FIFA has not announced whether the tournament will be played in 14 stadiums or whether another venue will replace NEOM.
When will the 2034 World Cup be played?
This is the biggest open question. FIFA has not set dates.
Why June and July are unlikely
Summer temperatures in Saudi Arabia regularly exceed 40 °C, especially in Riyadh. FIFA’s evaluation of the bid noted that local climate conditions point to a window between October and April. Qatar 2022 faced the same problem and was moved to November and December.
Why the winter is complicated too
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Ramadan | In 2034 Ramadan falls roughly from mid-November to mid-December |
| 2034 Asian Games | Riyadh hosts the Asian Games in late November and December 2034 |
| European club season | A winter tournament means interrupting domestic leagues again, as in 2022 |
Because of these overlaps, a tournament in January 2035 has been widely discussed. Infantino has said he is open to considering it. Nothing has been confirmed.
Saudi Arabia at the World Cup
Saudi Arabia will qualify automatically as host. The team has played at seven World Cups: 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2018, 2022 and 2026. Its best result was reaching the round of 16 at its debut in 1994. Its most famous win came at Qatar 2022, when it beat eventual champions Argentina 2-1 in the group stage. At the 2026 World Cup it was in Group H with the later champions Spain and lost 4-0 to them. See the 2026 World Cup results for the full picture.
Criticism and concerns
The 2034 award has attracted sustained criticism:
- Human rights: Amnesty International and other organisations pointed to Saudi Arabia’s record on freedom of expression, women’s rights and LGBTQ rights.
- Migrant workers: NGOs criticise the kafala sponsorship system, which ties workers to employers. In January 2025 FIFA rejected calls for an independent monitoring body for migrant workers. Deaths at construction sites have been reported, including a fatal fall at the Aramco Stadium site in March 2025. In April 2026 the UN human rights office urged Saudi Arabia to end the kafala system.
- The bidding process: In May 2025 lawyers filed a complaint arguing that FIFA had not ensured its human rights requirements were met.
- Environment: Environmental groups have criticised the number of new stadiums and the climate impact of building them.
Supporters of the bid point to the investment in infrastructure and the popularity of football in the country.
Timeline: what to watch
| When | Expected step |
|---|---|
| Ongoing | Construction of new stadiums and renovations |
| Open | Decision on tournament dates (2034 or January 2035) |
| Open | Confirmation of the final stadium list after the NEOM reports |
| Open | Number of teams (48 under current rules) |
| 2030 | The tournament before: the centenary World Cup in Morocco, Portugal and Spain |
Before 2034 comes the centenary World Cup. Read our guide to the 2030 World Cup for dates, stadiums and qualification.