Saudi Arabia has been confirmed as the host for the 2034 Men’s Football World Cup, following FIFA’s announcement after the nation was the sole bidder for the tournament. The decision has sparked widespread criticism from various groups and individuals.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has expanded its role in global sports by hosting major events such as Formula One, tennis, boxing, and golf.
However, the decision to award the World Cup to Saudi Arabia has faced significant opposition from multiple groups, including environmental activists and human rights organizations.
Saudi Arabia has faced criticism over its human rights record, including restrictions on women’s freedoms and the criminalization of same-sex relationships. Women were only allowed to attend sports stadiums starting in 2018. Since then, progress has been made with the creation of a professional women’s football league and a national women’s team, with over 70,000 girls now participating in the sport. While these steps mark positive change, concerns remain about broader human rights issues as the country prepares to host the 2034 Men’s Football World Cup.
Freedom of expression is tightly controlled, and there are concerns about the treatment of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia. Although campaigners recognize significant reforms in recent years, such as advancements in women’s rights, they also highlight persistent challenges that remain unresolved.
As a result, FIFA has been under pressure to use their influence to encourage reforms to Saudi Arabia before awarding it the World Cup.
Saudi Arabia has recently invested heavily in its top-tier football league, the Saudi Pro League, as well as other sports. This has sparked accusations from some campaigners of “sportswashing”—using sports to improve a country’s global image and deflect criticism.
Saudi leaders, however, reject these claims, asserting that their investments aim to modernize the kingdom and reduce its dependence on oil.With oil sales currently serving as its primary source of income, Saudi Arabia says it is working to diversify its economy by expanding into sectors like sports and entertainment. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stated, “The Esports World Cup is the natural next step in Saudi Arabia’s journey to become the premier global hub for gaming and esports, offering an unmatched esports experience that pushes the boundaries of the industry.”
In addition to these issues, Saudi Arabia has also faced criticism over its environmental record.
As the world’s largest exporter of oil, it has been accused by campaigners of contributing to climate change through its fossil fuel industry and hindering global climate action.
The Saudi government, however, says that it is transitioning away from fossil fuels, working to lower emissions, and denies using sports to divert attention from its sustainability practices. Saudi Arabia’s sports minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, stated that the country’s unprecedented investment in sport is to “help inspire a youthful population to take up physical activity and exercise, open the country up to the international community, boost tourism, create jobs and provide sports federations with growth potential.”
According to the Saudi Press Agency, Saudi Arabia has expressed that hosting the World Cup in its country would be “extraordinary.” BBC News reported that FIFA’s assessment of Saudi Arabia’s bid highlights “a range of impressive stadiums” that, once built or refurbished, could provide state-of-the-art infrastructure for the event.
Some argue that international attention on the country could drive positive change, potentially increasing transparency and freedoms by opening Saudi Arabia to greater global scrutiny.
FIFA also emphasizes the opportunity to expand football’s reach to new regions and fans, citing the 2022 Qatar World Cup as a success in promoting the sport in a similar part of the world.
Hamad Albalawi, head of Saudi Arabia’s bid team, noted, “There have been 12 World Cups in Europe, five in South America, one in Africa, and only two in Asia. I think this is a region that is very much hungry for more – to do more in football.”