Fifa World Cup 2034 in Saudi Arabia raises questions about human rights and ethics

Life is all about perspective. Sometimes people can look at the exact same thing, with their takeaways being completely different. Fifa president Gianni Infantino would probably cite this perspective to justify why soccer’s global governing body chose to award the World Cup to Saudi Arabia, despite wide-ranging public scrutiny and criticism. 

During his announcement of Saudi Arabia as the hosts of the 2034 World Cup, Infantino smiled from ear to ear — elated to confirm one of the worst-kept secrets in the world of soccer. Saudi Arabia were the sole bidders for the tournament. 

Yet after Infantino lifted up the piece of paper confirming the Saudis as hosts during a virtual extraordinary congress on Wednesday, 11 December 2024, he urged all the dignitaries who were part of the congress to congratulate the hosts by applauding. The whole scene resembled something out of a low-budget film, with a particularly demanding director. 

“The 2034 World Cup — the first of the new century, so to say, of World Cups, will be a spectacular event. What Saudi Arabia has put forward in their bid is absolutely incredible,” said Infantino. 

“It’s unique, Saudi Arabia, a country that’s opening up to the world since a few years with an organisation process which is fully on track, and the Fifa World Cup will definitely be a catalyst there for social improvements and social change,” he stated. 

“We’ll work, all together, to open up Saudi Arabia even more to the world to make sure that the world sees (the country), that they witness the welcoming elements of Saudi Arabia: the nature, the culture, the food. Everything, that not just football fans love, but everyone in the world,” Infantino said.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia — headed by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud — has regularly had to fend off allegations of being a repressive regime, where women and members of religious minority groups (in particular) face extensive discrimination in the Islamic nation.

In October, British UK broadcaster ITV released a documentary that focused on the harsh working conditions of migrant workers who are building Neom, a Saudi megacity for which construction started in 2017 as part of Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030. 

The project aims to fast-track Saudi Arabia’s diversification of its resources, and to move away from overly being dependent on oil. The ITV documentary alleged that as many 21,000 workers have died since the launch of Vision 2030 in 2016. 

“Based on clear evidence to date, Fifa knows workers will be exploited and even die without fundamental reforms in Saudi Arabia. Yet it has chosen to press ahead regardless. The organisation risks bearing a heavy responsibility for many of the human rights abuses that will follow,” said Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International’s head of labour rights and sport.

As part of vision 2030, the kingdom has ramped up its investment in sporting activities via the Public Investment Fund. This includes acquiring English Premier League club Newcastle United, as well as luring a number of established global soccer stars to its domestic soccer league with the promise of million-dollar salaries.

The Saudis have used the Public Investment Fund to launch the LIV Golf tour, which is also propped up by exuberant financial reward for the participants. Saudi Arabia has also hosted a number of sports events over the past few years, including mega boxing battles and tennis tournaments. All this deliberate investment via the Public Investment Fund is allegedly to sportswash its tawdry human rights record.

“I don’t agree with that, with that term (of sportswashing). Because if you go to different parts of the world, you bring people together. Everyone should come see Saudi Arabia, see it for what it is. Then make your decision. See it for yourself. If you don’t like it, fine,” the kingdom’s minister of sport, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal, has said in the past.

Non-profit human rights organisation Freedom House rates Saudi Arabia with the likes of Isaias Afwerki’s Eritrea, North Korea, Equatorial Guinea and Afghanistan as being as highly repressive and restricting a number of basic human freedoms. 

Infantino presents the Fifa Club World Cup Trophy during the 2025 Fifa Club World Cup Draw at Telemundo Studios on 5 December 2024 in Miami, Florida. (Photo: Brennan Asplen / Getty Images)