In the middle of international concerns over Saudi Arabia’s human rights circumstances, FIFA has conveyed assists for the country’s offer to host the 2034 World Cup. Human rights organization Amnesty International has classified the report an “astonishing whitewash.”
FIFA declared a review report on Saudi Arabia’s proposed 2034 World Cup bid last Saturday. Saudi Arabia is the only country that has submitted a bid for this year, and the country’s actual leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has a really good connection with FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
The FIFA report rates Saudi Arabia’s bid as strong and consistent, noting that the proposed plan carries “low” environmental risks and “medium” human rights risks. Last year, Saudi Arabia submitted the only bid for the 2034 World Cup from the Asia and Oceania regions. Meanwhile, Morocco, Spain, and Portugal have submitted a joint bid for the 2030 tournament, with Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay set to host one match each.
FIFA has announced that the decision regarding Saudi Arabia’s bid and the host country for the 2030 World Cup will be made through a virtual meeting of FIFA’s 211 national football associations on December 11.
FIFA Describes Saudi Bid as Strong and Profitable
FIFA has described Saudi Arabia’s bid as “a strong all-round proposition,” highlighting its solid infrastructure and commercial potential. FIFA has particularly noted the proposed extensive hospitality sector and additional revenue opportunities for the organizers.
Additionally, the FIFA report expresses expectancy that hosting the World Cup in Saudi Arabia could contribute to improving the country’s human rights situation. In FIFA’s words, “Hosting the World Cup could be a positive step towards creating a positive human rights impact.”
Despite this, Saudi Arabia’s history of human rights violations, such as the killing of political opponents, labor exploitation, and curbing freedom of expression, along with massive investments in sports events—often seen as “sportswashing”—has not led to significant changes in Saudi society in terms of human rights or liberalization.
Amnesty International Criticizes FIFA’s Report
Amnesty International sharply criticized FIFA’s report on Saturday, calling it “an astonishing whitewash.”
Steve Cockburn, Amnesty’s head of labor rights and sport, stated, “FIFA has ignored clear evidence of human rights violations and labor exploitation in Saudi Arabia to support their World Cup bid.” He added, “At every stage of the process, FIFA has ensured that Saudi Arabia’s path to hosting the World Cup would be unobstructed, effectively disregarding its human rights policies.”
Amnesty further pointed out that freedom of expression in Saudi Arabia is severely restricted, and the country continues to engage in human rights abuses such as public executions, torture, and killings, which remain a major international concern.
