Picture: stock
FIFA’s decision to name Saudia Arabia as 2034 World Cup hosts has prompted criticism by human rights and sporting organisations.
In a statement, FIFA said Morrocco, Portugal and Spain will host the 2030 Cup while three centenary celebration games will be played in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Saudi Arabia’s choice has been criticised by human rights and other organisations like Amnesty International and Professional Footballers Australia who accuse the country of ‘sportswashing’ its treatment of women and the LGBTQ community.
According to Amnesty International, 21 organisations published a joint statement condemning the move as a “moment of great danger” for human rights.
Signatories include Saudi diaspora human rights organisations, migrant workers’ groups from Nepal and Kenya, international trade unions, fans’ representatives and global human rights organisations.
Amnesty’s head of labour rights and sport, Steve Cockburn, says FIFA’s “reckless” decision to give the 2034 Cup to Saudi Arabia “will put many lives at risk”.
“Based on clear evidence to date, FIFA knows workers will be exploited and even die without fundamental reforms in Saudi Arabia, and yet has chosen to press ahead regardless,” he said.
SPORTSWASHING
Monash University’s associate law professor Eric Windholtz says Saudi Arabia is using sports and its money.
“Saudi Arabia uses sport strategically to strengthen its position among the international community,” he says.
“It wants credibility and it buys influence, and it is doing it spectacularly well.
“It’s bought into English football, there’s LIV golf, and it hosts high profile tennis, boxing and other sporting events.
“Hosting the FIFA World Cup is part of its strategy.
“As for FIFA, it needs dollars and strong partners so it manipulated the rules to make Saudi Arabia’s bid a fait accompli.”
Lina Alhathloul is head of monitoring and advocacy at ALQST for Human Rights, a Saudi diaspora human rights organisation:
“It’s disheartening, if not surprising, that FIFA awarded … Saudi Arabia hosting rights for the World Cup based on a heavily flawed bid, which side-stepped engagement with external stakeholders or the Saudi public themselves,” she said.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino claimed the Cup is “a unique catalyst for positive social change and unity”.
“They are tournaments, of course, to discuss, to debate and to act but most importantly, today is a day of unity and a day of celebration,” he said at the naming ceremony in Zurich.
The 2026 World Cup will be shared between Canada, US and Mexico.
