Human rights campaigners have hit out at Fifa after Saudi Arabia was confirmed as the sole bidder for the 2034 World Cup following Australia’s announcement that it would not bid for the tournament.
The organisation Human Rights Watch claimed football’s world governing body had broken its own policy and claimed the possibility that it could award Saudi Arabia the World Cup “despite its appalling human rights record . . . exposes Fifa’s commitments to human rights as a sham”.
Fifa announced on October 4 that the bidding process for the 2034 tournament would take place at the same time as the one for 2030, but it gave potential bidders only until October 31 to register their interest. Fifa also stated that only countries from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and Oceania could bid for 2034.
While there are some eye-catching stadiums in Saudi Arabia at present, some of the potential World Cup venues are yet to be built
JUSTIN SETTERFIELD/GETTY IMAGES
Within minutes, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman had announced that the Gulf kingdom would bid. That was soon followed by the AFC’s president, Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim al Khalifa of Bahrain, stating “the entire Asian football family” would support Saudi Arabia, despite the fact that other member countries Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia were in talks over a bid.
Indonesia and Malaysia pledged their backing for the Saudis two weeks ago, and on Tuesday —the October 31 deadline — Australia confirmed that it would not bid for 2034 and would focus on securing Fifa’s 2029 Club World Cup instead.
Advertisement
That leaves the way completely open for Saudi Arabia to host 2034, which will be a 48-team competition and will require mostly new or redeveloped stadiums. It will almost certainly have to be played in the winter as happened last year with the World Cup in Qatar due to the fierce summer temperatures.
Fans are likely to face even tighter restrictions on alcohol than in Qatar as Saudi Arabia is completely dry.
The Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, has close links with Saudi Arabia, but Human Rights Watch questioned the “unreasonably tight” deadline for 2034 bidders. Fifa also announced on October 4 that only one bid would be allowed for the 2030 World Cup — Spain, Portugal and Morocco are hosting the tournament but with three matches played in three South American countries to mark the centenary of the original tournament.
Infantino, the Fifa president, has close links with Saudi Arabia
SPA/AFP
Minky Worden, director of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch, said: “Barely a year after the human rights catastrophes of the 2022 Qatar World Cup, Fifa has failed to learn the lesson that awarding multi-billion dollar events without due diligence and transparency can risk corruption and major human rights abuses.
“The possibility that Fifa could award Saudi Arabia the 2034 World Cup despite its appalling human rights record and closed door to any monitoring exposes Fifa’s commitments to human rights as a sham.
Australia, along with New Zealand, hosted this year’s Women’s World Cup but it is out of the running for the men’s event in 2034
BIANCA DE MARCHI/EPA
“Saudi Arabia’s appalling human rights record has deteriorated under Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman’s rule, including mass executions, continued repression of women’s rights under its male guardianship system, and the killing of hundreds of migrants at the Saudi-Yemen border.”
Worden said critics of Saudis rulers faced torture and imprisonment, and that same-sex relationships are illegal and can carry the death sentence.
She added that Saudi authorities impose the “kafala” labour migration system that allows employers to control migrant workers’ legal status and has led to mass abuses.
