Members of the European Parliament issued a stern warning to FIFA about holding the 2034 Men’s World Cup in Saudi Arabia, according to Politico.
We are writing to express our grave concerns regarding the decision to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia.
The letter was signed by 30 EU lawmakers and addressed to the president of the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), Gianni Infantino.
Saudi Arabia, criticised by human rights organisations for its treatment of migrant workers and LGBTQ+ people, easily won the right to host the world’s most prestigious football tournament during a FIFA Council meeting last week. EU lawmakers said the decision to make Saudi Arabia the venue “undermines the principles upon which FIFA was founded.”
We also stand in solidarity with the professional footballers who have raised legitimate questions about FIFA’s partnership with [Saudi oil giant] Aramco. These decisions raise profound concerns about the alignment of FIFA’s values and its commitment to gender equality, human rights, and environmental sustainability.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar was marred with allegations that the host country exploited migrant workers while building the infrastructure needed to host the tournament. The organisation has since pledged to include human rights criteria in the selection process. However, it seems that the commitments have not been upheld in practice, with a recent judgement raising questions about FIFA’s true commitment to human rights.
MEPs demanded a “clear timeline” to fulfil the obligations. New EU sports commissioner Glenn Micallef stated:
The autonomy of international sport organizations, including international football organizations, is a principle of the European sport model. But I want to stress: This principle is not absolute. It must be balanced against principles of the international rule of law, against universal values and against human rights.
