The Washington Centre for Human Rights expresses profound concern about Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup. The Centre condemns the country’s current human rights practices, particularly in relation to migrant workers, freedom of speech, and the treatment of women and marginalized communities. Saudi Arabia’s human rights record raises significant alarms, and the Washington Centre insists that FIFA must not overlook these issues in its decision-making process.
Saudi Arabia’s bid for the 2034 World Cup outlines ambitious plans to develop new stadiums, hotels, and infrastructure to host the global sporting event. While these plans may seem impressive from an infrastructure perspective, they mask deeper human rights challenges that remain largely unaddressed in the bid’s human rights strategy. One of the most troubling aspects of the bid is the country’s continued reliance on the exploitative Kafala sponsorship system, which has historically led to the abuse of migrant workers. These workers, essential to the construction of the infrastructure needed for the tournament, have often faced dangerous working conditions, non-payment of wages, and physical abuse. Despite this, Saudi Arabia’s bid fails to offer any meaningful reforms to address these issues, such as establishing a minimum wage for non-citizens or creating labor protections to prevent worker deaths.
The Washington Centre for Human Rights asserts that awarding the World Cup to Saudi Arabia without credible commitments to improve the welfare of migrant workers would directly contribute to the perpetuation of these abuses. Additionally, Saudi Arabia’s restrictions on freedom of expression and its ongoing persecution of human rights activists, journalists, and political dissidents are deeply concerning. Many individuals remain imprisoned simply for voicing dissent or advocating for political reforms. Without robust measures to safeguard freedom of speech and press freedom, hosting a global event like the World Cup in Saudi Arabia could exacerbate the repression of civil liberties. FIFA’s responsibility extends beyond the physical infrastructure of the tournament; it must also ensure that the human rights of all people in the host nation are respected and protected.
Moreover, the Washington Centre for Human Rights highlights the continued criminalization of women’s rights and the LGBTI community in Saudi Arabia. Women in the country face systemic discrimination, with severe restrictions on their rights to work, travel, and participate in public life. Although some reforms have been made in recent years, significant barriers remain. Saudi Arabia has yet to fully address the issue of gender equality or end the criminalization of women’s basic freedoms. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia’s treatment of the LGBTI community remains deeply problematic, with individuals facing legal repercussions for their sexual orientation or gender identity. The bid for the 2034 World Cup fails to include any concrete plans to protect women and LGBTI individuals from discrimination or abuse during the event.
The Washington Centre also calls on FIFA to ensure that the countries bidding for the 2030 World Cup—Morocco, Portugal, and Spain—demonstrate a far stronger commitment to human rights. Although these countries have proposed hosting the tournament in multiple cities, their human rights strategies remain insufficient, particularly with regard to the protection of marginalized groups, such as women and LGBTI individuals. Reports of police brutality, forced evictions, and the criminalization of extramarital and same-sex relations in Morocco raise concerns about the human rights situation in the region. FIFA must ensure that these issues are thoroughly addressed before any hosting decision is made.
The Centre further urges FIFA to reconsider its flawed process for selecting World Cup hosts, which risks undermining its human rights criteria. The current process has allowed for one-sided bidding, particularly for the 2034 World Cup, where only Saudi Arabia has submitted a bid. This limited competition weakens FIFA’s leverage to demand reforms and human rights protections from host nations. FIFA must not accept a situation where the host country can sidestep human rights obligations by offering the tournament in a vacuum, with no credible competition to hold it accountable.
The Washington Centre for Human Rights calls on FIFA to halt the current process for awarding the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia unless the country presents a binding and enforceable strategy for human rights reform. This includes specific measures to protect migrant workers, guarantee freedom of expression, prevent discrimination against women and the LGBTI community, and ensure that individuals’ housing rights are respected. Additionally, FIFA must demand stronger human rights strategies from Morocco, Portugal, and Spain for 2030, making the protection of individuals a central part of the bidding process.
In conclusion, FIFA’s commitment to human rights must not be limited to rhetoric. The awarding of the World Cup should not come at the expense of basic human rights and dignity. The Washington Centre for Human Rights urges FIFA to take a firm stance and ensure that the 2030 and 2034 World Cups are hosted by nations that are genuinely committed to human rights, social justice, and the well-being of all people. Until such commitments are made, FIFA should suspend the selection process and push for real, tangible reforms to safeguard human rights in the World Cup’s host nations.