FIFA has rated Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the 2034 World Cup as a “medium risk” for human rights, citing the significant time and effort needed to implement necessary reforms. The assessment, part of FIFA’s evaluation report released on Saturday, comes ahead of a December 11 vote to finalise the hosts for the 2030 and 2034 tournaments.
While Saudi Arabia is the sole bidder for 2034, Morocco, Spain, and Portugal are jointly bidding for 2030, with Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay set to host centenary matches.
FIFA praised Saudi Arabia’s bid as a “strong all-round proposition,” scoring it 4.2 out of 5, higher than the 2026 World Cup’s North American bid. The report highlighted Saudi Arabia’s infrastructure plans and commercial potential but warned about challenges in addressing human rights issues, noting, “Significant effort and time” would be required for meaningful reforms.
FIFA also suggested the tournament could catalyze positive human rights changes in Saudi Arabia and the broader region.
The bid has drawn criticism from rights groups such as Amnesty International, which accused FIFA of whitewashing Saudi Arabia’s “atrocious human rights record.” Amnesty cited concerns about worker exploitation, mass executions, limited free expression, and restrictions on women under the male guardianship system.
Saudi Arabia’s proposal includes the construction of several stadiums and consideration for a winter World Cup, as June and July temperatures in Riyadh regularly exceed 40°C (104°F). The idea follows the precedent set by Qatar’s 2022 World Cup, which also faced scrutiny over human rights abuses and sportswashing allegations.
The final decision on hosting rights will be made at the FIFA Congress in December, despite ongoing debates about the potential impacts of Saudi Arabia’s bid on human rights and global perceptions of the sport.
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