Source: Loop Caribbean
Saudi Arabia was officially confirmed by FIFA as the host of the 2034 Men’s World Cup, marking the oil-rich kingdom’s most significant achievement yet in its extensive spending on global sports, driven by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The Saudi bid was the only one presented and was met with applause from more than 200 FIFA member federations who participated remotely in an online meeting hosted in Zurich by FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
“The vote from the congress is loud and clear,” Infantino stated, encouraging officials on screen to clap their hands at head level to demonstrate their support.
This decision was announced alongside the approval of the only candidate for the 2030 World Cup. Spain, Portugal, and Morocco will co-host a six-nation project, with Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay each assigned one of the 104 games. This South American connection will mark the centenary of Uruguay hosting the first World Cup in 1930.
These decisions conclude a mostly opaque 15-month bidding process that Infantino directed towards Saudi Arabia, with no rival candidates and without fielding questions. Human rights groups have expressed concern that this will endanger the lives of migrant workers.
“We look forward to hosting an exceptional and unprecedented edition of the FIFA World Cup, leveraging our strengths and capabilities to bring joy to football fans worldwide,” said Prince Mohammed in a statement.
FIFA and Saudi officials have asserted that hosting the 2034 tournament can accelerate societal change, including greater freedoms and rights for women. Infantino described the World Cup as a “unique catalyst for positive social change and unity.”
“I fully trust our hosts to address all open points in this process and deliver a World Cup that meets the world’s expectations,” the FIFA president remarked.
An international coalition of rights groups criticised FIFA’s “reckless decision” to approve Saudi Arabia without public assurances. The Football Supporters Europe group stated it was “the day football truly lost its mind.”
FIFA’s acceptance of a three-continent hosting plan for the 2030 World Cup fast-tracked this victory; only soccer federations in Asia and Oceania were eligible for the 2034 contest, and FIFA provided countries with less than four weeks to declare a bid, resulting in Saudi Arabia being the sole candidate.
This success will initiate a decade of scrutiny regarding Saudi labour laws and the treatment of workers—primarily from South Asia—needed to construct and upgrade 15 stadiums, in addition to hotels and transportation networks, ahead of the 104-match tournament.
Amnesty International indicated that awarding the tournament to Saudi Arabia represents “a moment of great danger” for human rights. “FIFA’s reckless decision to host the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia, without ensuring adequate protections for human rights, will put many lives at risk,” said Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International’s Head of Labor Rights and Sport.
One proposed stadium is planned to be 350 meters above ground in Neom— a futuristic city that has yet to be built—while another, named for the crown prince, is designed to sit atop a 200-meter cliff near Riyadh.
During the bid campaign, FIFA’s limited scrutiny of Saudi Arabia’s human rights record faced widespread criticism this year at the United Nations.
Saudi and international rights groups and activists warned FIFA that it had not learned from the criticisms surrounding Qatar’s preparations for the 2022 World Cup.
“At every stage of this bidding process, FIFA has demonstrated that its commitment to human rights is a sham,” Cockburn stated.
The kingdom plans to invest tens of billions of dollars in projects related to the World Cup as part of the crown prince’s sweeping Vision 2030 initiative, which aims to modernise Saudi society and economy. Central to this initiative is spending on sports through the $900 billion sovereign wealth fund, the Public Investment Fund, which he oversees. Critics have labelled this as “sportswashing” of the kingdom’s reputation.
The crown prince, known as MBS, has fostered close ties with Infantino since 2017, aligning with the organiser of the world’s most-watched sporting event rather than confronting the established system directly, as seen in the disruptive LIV Golf project. As a result, Saudi Arabia’s bid progressed smoothly with limited pushback from soccer officials, apart from some dissent from international women’s players.
The influx of Saudi investment into international soccer is expected to rise.
FIFA has also created a new and higher sponsorship category for state oil firm Aramco, and Saudi funding is set to support the 2025 Club World Cup in the United States, a project of great interest to Infantino.
In addition, the North American soccer body CONCACAF has signed a multi-year deal with the Public Investment Fund, and Saudi stadiums are set to host Super Cup matches for Italy and Spain. Nearly 50 FIFA member federations have entered into working agreements with their Saudi counterparts.
The lavish spending by PIF-owned Saudi clubs in recent years on acquiring and compensating high-profile players—including Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Karim Benzema—continues to dominate headlines.