THE Saudi World Cup is set to kick off in January 2034 – ten months earlier than expected.
And that would mean the Christmas Prem fixture list being severely curtailed again – just like when the Qatar tournament started in November 2022.
Representatives of the 211 Fifa member associations will confirm the 2030 and 2034 hosts at next week’s congress.
That will see the 2030 event staged mainly in Spain, Portugal and Morocco, although with the opening three games played in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.
Saudi Arabia is the only candidate for the 2034 event with the joint decision for both tournaments expected to go through “by acclamation”.
Officially, the Saudi event is still due to be held in the summer.
But with temperatures in the Gulf state potentially reaching 45C in June, that is infeasible on health and wellbeing grounds for players and travelling fans.
But while the first winter World Cup, in Qatar in 2022, was held in November and December, scheduling issues mean a January start to the 2034 event is now thought to be more likely.
The Saudi dates coincide with the anticipated scheduling of the Ramadan religious period, when Muslims must fast during the day.
Unless there is an agreement by the Saudi authorities to allow non-observance of the main religious festival – thought to be unlikely – a kick-off at the very beginning of January is being discussed.
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That may end up with Boxing Day fixtures marking the end of a congested first half of the domestic campaign, with all the initial phase matches of the three European club competitions also having to be fitted into a reduced window.
The 2026 edition of the new expanded tournament – with 48 teams and 104 games – has a 38-day match “footprint”.
While that could be reduced slightly, 35 days is seen as the minimum possible time-frame.
And it would mean a likely seven week break in the Prem season.
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