FIFA on Wednesday confirmed that Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup, underlining the Gulf kingdom’s growing influence in world sport despite criticism of the country’s human rights record.
Despite criticism of the nation’s human rights record, FIFA declared on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia would host the 2034 World Cup, highlighting the Gulf kingdom’s increasing importance in international sport.
The Saudi Minister of Sports, Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal al Saud, declared, “It is a proud day, a day of celebration, a day that we invite the entire world to Saudi Arabia.”
“We intend to have an extraordinary version of the World Cup in our kingdom.”
Rights organizations, however, swiftly denounced the decision, arguing that allowing the nation to organize the event “marks a moment of great danger” and endangers the lives of construction workers.
Three continental confederations from Europe, Africa, and South America will participate in the tournament’s historic organization in 2030.
Last year, the council controversially granted prospective bidders just one month to file their applications, and Australia and Indonesia promptly withdrew their interest.
Saudi Arabia was the only contender, which made it possible for the World Cup to return to the Gulf so quickly after Qatar held it in 2022.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler of the country, has always used sport to gain power and enhance its reputation abroad; nevertheless, some claim he is essentially “sportswashing” by drawing attention away from Saudi Arabia’s human rights record.
‘Moment of great danger’
“We are inclusive and non-discriminatory, and we want to obtain positive social impact,” Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, stated in his closing remarks.
“We are of course aware of critics and fears, and I fully trust our hosts to address all open points from this process and deliver a FIFA World Cup which meets expectations.”
He stated that “social improvements and positive human rights impacts” are “responsibilities of hosting a World Cup.”
“We are inclusive and non-discriminatory, and we want to obtain positive social impact,” Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, stated in his closing remarks.
“We are of course aware of critics and fears, and I fully trust our hosts to address all open points from this process and deliver a FIFA World Cup which meets expectations.”
He stated that “social improvements and positive human rights impacts” are “responsibilities of hosting a World Cup.”
‘Centenary celebration’
The unprecedented combined candidacy by Morocco, Spain, and Portugal will also allow the South American country to receive one game along with Argentina and Paraguay in the 2030 tournament, which will commemorate a century since Uruguay hosted the first World Cup.
FIFA acknowledged more than a year ago that Morocco, Spain, and Portugal spearheaded the tripartite plan, making it the only candidate for 2030, while all other possible candidates were pushed out.
In the meanwhile, South America consented to resign in return for hosting three games, and Morocco took Ukraine’s position as a partner for Spain and Portugal.
The six participating teams will travel across the Atlantic to play the remaining games of the tournament after these “centenary celebrations” in the winter in the southern hemisphere.
With 11 of the 20 proposed stadiums, Spain, the 1982 World Cup host, ought to be the focal point.
Morocco, who has been denied the opportunity to host the event five times before, will be the second African country to do so, following South Africa in 2010.
The Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, Barcelona’s refurbished Camp Nou, and the proposed Hassan II stadium between Casablanca and Rabat—which is expected to hold 115,000 spectators—are all possible locations for the July 21 final.
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