While no official decision has been made regarding expanding the number of teams in the 2034 World Cup, Saudi Arabia has already expressed its readiness to host a larger-scale tournament. Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, the country’s sports minister, stated on the sidelines of the Formula 1 race in Jeddah: “If this is FIFA’s decision and everyone agrees it is suitable, we would be more than happy to take on the responsibility of hosting such an edition.”

Saudi Arabia’s hosting rights were confirmed in December last year without any competition, marking the first time in the country’s football history. The Saudis are simultaneously preparing to host the 2034 Asian Games, and now the possibility of a 64-team World Cup presents a new challenge.

The 2026 World Cup, set to feature 48 teams in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, will be the first expanded edition of the tournament. This increase raises the number of matches from 64 to 104. However, discussions within FIFA are now underway about taking the next step and expanding to 64 teams by 2034.

The proposal for such an edition was first introduced by CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez in April, who called for an “exceptional” tournament to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the first World Cup in Uruguay. The president of the Uruguayan Football Federation also formally presented the idea at FIFA’s recent council meeting.

However, the idea has faced strong opposition. UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin described it as a “bad idea,” while CONCACAF and AFC presidents have also rejected the proposal. Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa stated that such a change would “cause chaos.”

According to FIFA regulations, any change in the number of participating teams requires an official vote by the 37-member FIFA Council—the same body that unanimously approved the expansion to 48 teams in 2017.

Another major uncertainty regarding Saudi Arabia’s World Cup is its timing—will it be held in the summer like traditional editions or moved to winter like Qatar? The Saudi sports minister said: “No final decision has been made yet. We are in discussions with FIFA and are prepared for any scenario. Our priority is providing the best experience for spectators.”

He also emphasized that Saudi Arabia will learn from other countries’ experiences regarding labor and human rights issues, stating that worker welfare is an ethical and non-negotiable commitment.