Saudi Arabia has been confirmed as the host of the 2034 World Cup, despite human rights concerns

Fifa has finalized one of the most controversial decisions in the organization’s stormy history by confirming that Saudi Arabia would host the 2034 World Cup.

Amnesty International claims that the Gulf state’s decision to hold the 48-team tournament in 15 stadiums spread across five cities, most likely in the winter, could endanger many lives and has drawn condemnation from supporters, legal and governance experts, trade unions, and non-governmental organizations.

Only Saudi Arabia was able to bid for 2034 because Fifa expedited the bidding procedure. For over a year, people have been anticipating this announcement.

In an odd virtual congress of FIFA’s 211 members on Wednesday, it was confirmed. There were numerous technical difficulties during the conference, and crucial decisions were decided by acclamation—a lot of hands clapping on a wall of video displays.

The 2030 World Cup will be hosted by Portugal, Spain, and Morocco, it was also revealed. Three centennial anniversary matches in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay will kick off the competition.

The fact that hosts were selected without a vote, according to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, demonstrated solidarity across the football community. “You have demonstrated that we are all a part of the same global community in a divided world,” he remarked. We are aware that we are different from one another. However, we are learning to appreciate one another and accept them.

Naturally, we are aware of the skeptics and anxieties. I have no doubt that our hosts will handle any issues that may arise, and I anticipate that they will host competitions that are a source of pride for the entire world.

Human rights safeguards and societal advancements are what we anticipate and look forward to. The World Cup provides a unique perspective on what has to be changed, which is advantageous since it indicates that these issues can be resolved and that genuine, long-lasting improvement is possible.

The Saudis expressed gratitude for being selected to host the World Cup and pledged to make it an unforgettable event in ten years. “For us, football or soccer is more than just a sport,” stated Sports Minister Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal.

This value is shared by all of us. Hosting this event and many more in the future excites me. We can create football history together. I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome everyone to my kingdom so we can celebrate our culture. This is your opportunity to witness the greatest success story firsthand.

The Saudi bid received a favorable appraisal from FIFA last month. It stated that the bidder pledges to respect international labor and human rights during the competition and that there is a medium risk of human rights breaches.

However, it also said that there needed to be effective enforcement, without which the risk of indecent working conditions could be elevated and that implementing the different measures outlined in the Human Rights Strategy, especially in certain areas, could require a lot of work and time.

Amnesty International’s head of sports and labor rights, Steve Cockburn, was not anticipating any positive news. Many lives will be in danger because FIFA was careless and gave the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia without making sure there are enough protections for human rights, he said.

So far, there is clear evidence that Fifa knows workers in Saudi Arabia will be exploited and even die if fundamental reforms are not made. However, they have decided to go ahead with their plans anyway. The group runs the risk of being held responsible for many of the abuses of human rights that will happen after.

Two international trade unions, the International Trades Union Confederation Africa and the Building and Woodworkers International, have both complained to the International Labour Organization and the UN about how migrant workers are treated in Saudi Arabia.

From January 2022 to October 2024, the Business and Human Rights Resource Center kept track of 82 cases of corporate abuse of migrant workers in the country.

The data was released on Wednesday. It said that one in four of these cases involved construction workers, and the group said that workers on the Aramco stadium in Al Khobar, which is one of eleven new stadiums that need to be finished by 2034, were working 10-hour shifts in 45C heat.

Both bids were backed by the English Football Association, which joined the act of acclamation. It said in a statement that it stood by its decision and that it had talked with Saudi officials about how to protect LGBTQ+ fans who want to travel to the tournament.

Football is a game for everyone around the world, the statement said. Being committed to diversity and inclusion means treating everyone with respect, no matter what religion or culture they come from.

We also believe that hosting the World Cup can lead to positive change, which can be achieved best by working together with the host countries. We will work with UEFA and FIF to make sure they keep their promises to respect all human rights.

Norway and Switzerland were the only countries that said they were worried about the bidding process.

Rodney Dixon KC and other human rights experts told FIFA in October that it was dealing with the devil by planning to hold the tournament in Saudi Arabia. They sent a legal letter to Fifa warning that the organization s reputation was in tatters and the game of football has been denigrated.

Dixon, who helped Hatice Cengiz whose husband Jamal Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018, said, Fifa should demand that Saudi Arabia at the very least free political opponents who are in jail, stop torturing prisoners, protect women s rights, allow free speech and association, protect workers rights, and set up an independent judiciary. According to FIFA s own rules, if these conditions are not met, the host country should be changed.

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