On December 11, 2024, FIFA declared that Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 men’s football World Cup. It was the only country to offer to host, so FIFA has to let Saudi Arabia host unless another country bids. As a result, FIFA’s decision has been pushed back on by many groups.
According to BBC News, women in Saudi Arabia are restricted in what they can and can’t do.For example, in 2018, Saudi Arabian women were “only allowed to enter sports stadia to watch matches.” However, ever since a professional women’s football team was created, over 70,000 girls have been playing regularly.
Also, it is currently illegal for women to be in a gay relationship. BBC News reports that “free expression is severely restricted [in Saudi Arabia] and there have been concerns over the treatment of migrant workers in the country.”
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has spent a lot of money for the Saudi Pro League, an elite football league. As a result, campaigners accused Saudi Arabia of sportswashing, which is the use of sports to improve the country’s reputation by distracting the public.
The leaders of Saudi Arabia disagreed and said that “the investment is to help modernise the kingdom and make it less reliant on fossil fuels.”
A lot of pollution comes from World Cups, according to BBC News. The stadiums, hotels, and air travel use fossil fuels, which harms the environment.
Saudi Arabia will offer 15 stadiums for the World Cup, which are each hundreds of miles apart. This means the people who travel between those host cities will probably use an abundance of air travel.
In addition, Saudi Arabia’s environmental record is disapproved of by many. According to BBC News, “it is the world’s biggest exporter of oil and has been accused by campaigners of adding to climate change through its fossil-fuel industry.”
The 2022 Qatar World Cup was the only World Cup held in the Middle East, and it took place in the winter. Many people expect the 2034 World Cup tournament to take place in the winter as well, because Saudi Arabia neighbors Qatar and has a hot climate.
Even though the World Cup in Saudi Arabia is controversial, most people look forward to seeing the great football teams at the tournament.
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