Saudi Arabia’s controversial $5 trillion bid lands 2034 World Cup
The biggest sporting event on the planet is set to come under heavy fire after a controversial country was awarded hosting rights.
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FIFA on Thursday (AEDT) 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.
At the same time, a virtual Congress of world football’s governing body confirmed that Morocco, Spain and Portugal will be joint hosts of the 2030 World Cup, in which three games will also be played in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
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Saudi Arabia’s staggering $5 trillion bid was waved through by acclamation during the meeting of FIFA’s 211 national member associations, with no rivals standing in its way.
The Saudi bid foresees 15 venues across five cities, Riyadh, Jeddah, Abha, Khobar and Neom - a city which is still in construction and is not due to be completed until five years after the World Cup.
The various stadium plans include artificial canyons, crystal-like shards and a 45,000-seater venue built into a cliff.
“It is a proud day, a day of celebration, a day that we invite the entire world to Saudi Arabia,” said Abdulaziz bin Turki bin Faisal al Saud, the Saudi Minister of Sports.
“We intend to have an extraordinary version of the World Cup in our kingdom.”
However, there was immediate condemnation from rights groups who insisted that handing the organisation of the tournament to the country puts the lives of construction workers at risk and “marks a moment of great danger”.
FIFA had invoked its principle of rotating the World Cup between continents, which meant only bids from Asia or Oceania were welcome for 2034.
“In today’s divided world, where it seems that nobody can agree any more on anything, to be able to agree on something like that is definitely an incredible message of unity and positivity. And, we need these messages today,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said.
“The FIFA World Cup is unique, and it is a unique catalyst as well for positive social change and unity because these tournaments, 2030, the celebration, 2034 – they are tournaments to unite, not to divide.
“They are tournaments, of course, to discuss, to debate and to act. But most importantly, today, today is a day of unity and a day of celebration.
“Seven countries have won their World Cup today. Congratulations to Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Morocco, Portugal, Spain and Saudi Arabia. This is your day. So, you should celebrate and we, we celebrate, of course, with you. And you, the 211 FIFA Member Associations that I can see on a giant screen in front of me, you are uniting the world. You are uniting the world truly, through football, because, of course, football unites the world.”
Saudi Arabia’s winning bid for the 2034 World Cup however wasn’t without controversy as fans around the world erupted over the “atrocity”.
Saudi Arabia, which is hosting several high-profile events including Formula One and the WTA Finals tennis, is often accused of “sportswashing” — using sport to divert attention from its rights record.
The push back has already begun.
Steve Cockburn, Amnesty’s head of labour rights and sport, said in a recent statement: “There will be a real and predictable human cost to awarding the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia without obtaining credible guarantees of reform.
“Fans will face discrimination. Migrant workers will face exploitation, and many will die.
“FIFA must halt the process until proper human rights protections are in place to avoid worsening an already dire situation.”
He earlier said: “As expected, FIFA’s evaluation of Saudi Arabia’s World Cup bid is an astonishing whitewash of the country’s atrocious human rights record.
“There are no meaningful commitments that will prevent workers from being exploited, residents from being evicted or activists from being arrested.
“By ignoring the clear evidence of severe human rights risks, FIFA is likely to bear much responsibility for the violations and abuses that will take place over the coming decade.
“Fundamental human rights reforms are urgently required in Saudi Arabia, or the 2034 World Cup will be inevitably tarnished by exploitation, discrimination and repression.”
Originally published as Saudi Arabia’s controversial $5 trillion bid lands 2034 World Cup
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