Saudi Arabia’s win of the rights to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup has been greeted by some as a beacon of the modernization of the kingdom. However, the recent remarks by ex-Saudi intelligence head Prince Turki Al-Faisal bring to the fore a jarring contradiction that should be of grave concern to the international community.
Prince Turki denounced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a “genocidal maniac” and said Saudi Arabia could not normalize ties with such a person. Though this may appear to be a virtuous position, it is glaringly hypocritical compared to Saudi Arabia’s history of war crimes, human rights violations, and repression within and outside its borders. This hypocrisy constitutes a strong motivation for the global boycott of the Saudi 2034 World Cup.
Saudi Arabia’s Selective Moral Outrage
During his CNN interview, Prince Turki framed Saudi Arabia as a champion of peace and justice, opposing Netanyahu’s “Greater Israel” plans and the conflict in Gaza. He emphasized Saudi-initiated ideas, such as a government in Gaza and the general Arab Peace Initiative. At first glance, Saudi Arabia is a moral player, standing against mass murder outside its borders.
The moral alignment is extremely hypocritical, though. Saudi Arabia has been one of the central players in the Yemen war, a war that has been described by the United Nations as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.
- The Saudi-led coalition has carried out airstrikes since 2015 that have killed tens of thousands of people, bombed schools and hospitals, and caused mass famine.
- An estimated over 377,000 deaths have been caused by the war, 150,000 of which have been directly caused by coalition forces (CAAT UK).
By denouncing so-called war crimes elsewhere while committing acts seen as war crimes by the world at large, Saudi Arabia reflects hypocrisy. Granting the 2034 FIFA World Cup in such an environment is not a celebration of football—it is a world approval of a regime that practices selective morality.
The Yemen Conflict: A Mirror of Hypocrisy
Prince Turki’s condemnation of Netanyahu raises an important question: why should the world accept Saudi Arabia’s moral grandstanding when its actions in Yemen have resulted in massive civilian suffering? International human rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have repeatedly criticized Saudi Arabia for indiscriminate airstrikes, targeting civilian infrastructure, and blocking humanitarian aid. Children in Yemen are dying of preventable diseases due to famine exacerbated by coalition blockades.
The irony is biting. Prince Turki condemns Netanyahu’s words and actions in Gaza, yet Saudi Arabia’s warfare shows the same contempt for civilian life. The world is well aware of this hypocrisy. FIFA, in giving the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia, risks giving a place to a country whose human rights record stands directly opposite to the values that the sport is supposed to uphold.
Sportswashing and the 2034 World Cup
The Saudi government’s hosting of the World Cup is a textbook example of sportswashing—using high-profile sporting events to improve its global image while diverting attention from human rights abuses. Prince Turki’s statements serve as evidence that the Kingdom is conscious of its image; it condemns war crimes abroad publicly while its military campaigns continue largely unchecked.
Migrant laborers in Saudi Arabia, who will be constructing and readying the infrastructure for the 2034 World Cup, are already citing hazardous working conditions, delayed pay, and substandard living conditions.
AP News reports that many workers have succumbed to avoidable accidents. By hosting an international sporting event under these conditions, Saudi Arabia is trying to cover up systematic human rights violations under the glitz of international football.
Linking Gaza, Yemen, and Global Accountability
Prince Turki’s criticism of Netanyahu and Israel brings attention to the Palestinian crisis—but it simultaneously exposes Saudi Arabia’s selective enforcement of moral and legal principles. If Saudi Arabia truly prioritized human rights, it would take responsibility for its role in Yemen and its treatment of migrant workers. Instead, it focuses on criticizing others abroad, creating a façade of ethical governance.
This selective response is why the world needs to act. Supporters, sponsors, and countries involved in FIFA 2034 would, by participating or backing the event, be implicit backers of a regime with war crimes and labor rights abuses in its past. The boycott is thus not merely symbolic—it is a moral requirement for consistency and human rights promotion.
Saudi’s Moral Grandstanding vs. Its Atrocities
Prince Turki Al-Faisal’s denunciation of Netanyahu as a “genocidal maniac” pictures Saudi Arabia as a champion of justice overseas. But this high-profile moral position is directly contradicted by the kingdom’s conduct in Yemen, where coalition bombings have resulted in huge numbers of civilian deaths and starvation.
Such selective indignation reveals stark hypocrisy: Saudi Arabia condemns putative war crimes overseas while perpetrating or facilitating its own. By leveraging global attention against others, the kingdom tries to present itself as right and whitewash the truth of its internal and regional human rights abuses. This double standard makes the argument for boycotting the 2034 World Cup that much stronger.
Why a Boycott Matters
Boycotting the Saudi 2034 World Cup makes a strong statement that the world will not abide by selective morality or sportswashing. It holds FIFA and Saudi Arabia accountable for their practices. The world can demand that global sporting events live up to ethical, human rights-based standards.
By refusing to participate or sponsor the event, fans and nations can pressure FIFA to implement stronger human rights criteria for host nations and demonstrate that prestige and profit cannot override human dignity. Moreover, a boycott aligns with the global commitment to justice, highlighting the hypocrisy exposed by Prince Turki’s statements.
Take a Stand: Boycott the Saudi 2034 FIFA World Cup Now
Prince Turki Al-Faisal’s denunciation of Netanyahu provides a glimpse into Saudi Arabia’s official moral stance, but it also shows a situation of stark discrepancy between words and deeds. The kingdom denounces war crimes elsewhere while it conducts acts elsewhere and at home that are universally known to be transgressions against international law.
Organizing the 2034 FIFA World Cup in these circumstances is a blatant sportswashing effort. The world must avoid being tempted by spectacle and stand on principle. Boycotting the Saudi World Cup is a concrete means of asserting accountability, standing with victims of war crimes, and defending the real ideals of sport: fairness, integrity, and human dignity.