Fifa has released its evaluation report for Saudi Arabia’s unopposed bid to host the men’s World Cup in 2034, setting the stage for the kingdom to receive formal approval for the finals next month. Despite ongoing concerns regarding the country’s human rights record, the governing body awarded the bid an impressive score of 4.2 out of 5 – the highest ever given. Fifa stated that hosting the tournament in Saudi Arabia posed a ‘medium’ human rights risk but could potentially act as a catalyst for reforms.
Campaign groups immediately criticized the bid evaluation, citing Saudi Arabia’s history of human rights violations. However, Fifa emphasized that the Saudi bid demonstrated a strong commitment to sustainability and environmental protection, despite challenges such as extreme summer temperatures exceeding 40C. The report acknowledged the need to determine an optimal scheduling window for the competition, with expectations that it may need to be held in the winter months like the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
In addition to the 2034 World Cup bid, Fifa also evaluated the 2030 tournament, which will be hosted across three continents by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. The report noted that the 2030 event would have a significant negative impact on the climate due to the extensive air travel involved. However, Fifa stated that the bidders demonstrated an understanding of environmental impacts and proposed measures to mitigate them.
Saudi Arabia has heavily invested in sports since 2021 as part of its ‘Vision 2030’ strategy to diversify the economy. While the country has hosted major sporting events and made significant investments in various sports, it has also faced criticism for human rights violations, including the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and women’s rights abuses. Amnesty International and other organizations have called for major human rights reforms in Saudi Arabia before hosting the 2034 World Cup to prevent exploitation, discrimination, and repression.
Fifa’s evaluation report highlighted the potential for the tournament to contribute to positive human rights outcomes in Saudi Arabia, but critics have expressed skepticism and called for a halt to the selection process. Environmental impact assessments for both the 2034 and 2030 World Cups have raised concerns about carbon footprints and climate impact, despite proposed mitigation measures by the host countries.