World Cup 2034: What will a Saudi tournament look like?
Saudi Arabia has been criticized for human rights violations, violations of women’s rights, criminalization of homosexuality, restrictions on free speech and the war in Yemen.
NGOs recently claimed, external In the first nine months of 2024, authorities executed at least 200 people, the highest number in three decades.
The kingdom’s international standing was severely damaged by the 2018 killing of American-based Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a prominent critic of the government.
Human rights activists say the Saudi government uses sport to divert attention from long-standing reputational issues.
The Saudi government says investment in sports is boosting the economy, opening it up to tourism and inspiring people to be more active.
According to FIFA guidelines, countries bidding to host the tournament must commit to respecting human rights.
November, FIFA releases Saudi bid evaluation reportawarding it an “average score of 4.2 out of 5” – the highest score ever.
FIFA claimed that “the tournament has the potential to be a catalyst for some ongoing and future reforms and to deliver positive human rights outcomes for the people of Saudi Arabia and the region, beyond the scope of the tournament itself.”
However, last month, Amnesty International said the process of selecting Saudi Arabia as host country for 2034 must be halted unless major human rights reforms are announced. It claims hosting the tournament there could lead to serious and widespread human rights abuses.
