FIFA Awards Saudi Arabia the 2034 World Cup: Endorsing Labour Exploitation and Violating Human Rights Principles

In a decision fraught with controversy and grave ethical implications, FIFA has awarded Saudi Arabia the hosting rights for the 2034 World Cup. This move, finalized during a virtual vote on December 11, 2024, underscores FIFA’s continued prioritization of political and economic interests over its stated commitment to human rights and ethical standards. By granting this prestigious tournament to a nation with a well-documented history of human rights abuses, FIFA has effectively sanctioned the exploitation of vulnerable workers and ignored the global outcry from rights organizations.
A Systemic Pattern of Abuse
Saudi Arabia’s infrastructure projects, heavily reliant on migrant labour, have long been plagued by severe violations of workers’ rights. These violations include wage theft, unsafe working conditions, and the absence of effective legal protections. The situation is exacerbated by grueling work schedules, with workers subjected to shifts exceeding ten hours a day in temperatures reaching 45 degrees Celsius.
The Aramco Stadium in Khobar, one of the 11 new stadiums planned for the tournament, exemplifies these conditions. According to a report by the Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, 82 cases of migrant worker abuse were recorded in Saudi Arabia between January 2022 and October 2024. One-quarter of these cases involved construction workers. Despite this evidence, FIFA has chosen to overlook these abuses, opting instead to proceed with awarding Saudi Arabia the hosting rights without securing any commitments to reform.
Global Outrage at FIFA’s Irresponsibility
Human rights organizations and labour unions have been unequivocal in their condemnation of FIFA’s decision. Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International’s Head of Labour Rights and Sport, described the move as “reckless,” emphasizing that FIFA is fully aware of the risks faced by workers in Saudi Arabia. “Without substantial reforms, workers will face exploitation and even death,” Cockburn stated, holding FIFA directly accountable for the inevitable human rights violations that will follow.
Labour organizations, including the International Federation of Building and Wood Workers and the International Trade Union Confederation – Africa, have lodged formal complaints with the International Labour Organization and the United Nations. Their reports highlight systemic abuses, including unsafe working environments and exploitative labour practices, particularly in the construction of World Cup-related infrastructure.
Human rights lawyer Rodney Dixon, who submitted a legal memorandum to FIFA in October 2024, called the decision a moral failure. Dixon argued that Saudi Arabia’s track record, from political repression to systemic abuse of migrant workers, makes it an unfit host. He called on FIFA to demand minimum human rights benchmarks, such as the release of political prisoners, an end to torture, and the protection of workers’ and women’s rights.
A Stain on FIFA’s Reputation
This decision starkly contrasts with FIFA’s public commitment to uphold human rights as a prerequisite for hosting tournaments. Instead, the organization has demonstrated a blatant disregard for these principles, prioritizing economic and political gains over ethical standards. FIFA’s actions expose a pattern of double standards and complicity in legitimizing authoritarian regimes through sportswashing—the practice of using major sporting events to distract from or whitewash systemic human rights abuses.
Rather than leveraging its influence to advocate for justice and equality, FIFA’s actions risk transforming football from a unifying force for good into a tool for legitimizing oppression. This betrayal of the sport’s fundamental values undermines its credibility and diminishes the trust of global audiences.
Urgent Calls for Accountability
Together for Justice urges the international community, human rights advocates, and sports governing bodies to demand accountability from FIFA. The organization must reconsider its decision and compel Saudi Arabia to implement comprehensive reforms before proceeding with the tournament. These reforms should include robust protections for workers’ rights, the release of political prisoners, guarantees for freedom of expression, and the establishment of an independent judiciary.
In addition, an independent commission must be established to review FIFA’s decision-making processes to ensure future hosting rights are awarded to nations that respect human dignity and human rights. FIFA’s continued disregard for its own policies and ethical standards is an affront to the ideals of fairness and justice that football represents.
FIFA’s decision to grant Saudi Arabia the 2034 World Cup hosting rights marks a troubling departure from its stated principles. By ignoring widespread abuse and exploitation, FIFA has placed the prestige of the World Cup above the rights and lives of vulnerable workers. Immediate action is needed to prevent the tournament from becoming a platform for legitimizing human rights abuses.
Football must remain a beacon of equality and justice, not a tool for whitewashing repression. The world cannot afford to let the 2034 World Cup become a stage for exploitation and systemic abuse under the guise of global celebration.