Human rights groups criticize decision to award 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia

The 2034 World Cup has been awarded to Saudi Arabia, with FIFA President Gianni Infantino announcing the decision following a virtual congress. The 2030 tournament will be hosted jointly by Portugal, Morocco, and Spain. The choice of Saudi Arabia as host has faced criticism from human rights organizations, citing the country’s track record of abuse, including the imprisonment of women’s rights campaigners and the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Despite this, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman expressed excitement at hosting the event and promised to bring joy to football fans worldwide. In response to the decision, 21 organizations have jointly called out FIFA for failing to ensure adequate human rights protections in Saudi Arabia and risking potential exploitation and abuse of workers. The controversy surrounding the upcoming World Cup in Saudi Arabia follows previous concerns over human rights abuses in Qatar during the construction of infrastructure for the 2022 tournament. The next World Cup will be hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada in 2026, followed by the Women’s World Cup in Brazil in 2027. Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the 2034 World Cup raises concerns about potential human rights violations and exploitation of workers, as critics urge FIFA to ensure significant reforms in the country.

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