Over the past few years, Saudi Arabia has spent a lot on rebranding itself globally. The Kingdom regularly promotes success in tech, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation as it positions itself as the epitome of modernization.
All of this, Raied Al-Jadaany and Rehab bint Saad Al-Arfaj insisted, was proof of innovation. They spoke with pride of successes such as the Tawakkalna app, a COVID-19 platform now delivering over 1,000 government services, and the establishment of a National Data Bank linking 385 government platforms. All of this, they maintain, not only modernizes governance but also brings economic returns — allegedly over $13.6 billion.
At first blush, these achievements may point to a country ready to welcome an international sporting spectacle such as the FIFA World Cup. But beneath the glitzy presentations is the disturbing contradiction: Saudi Arabia’s human rights track record and political climate render it entirely inappropriate to host the 2034 World Cup.
The Illusion of Modernization
Whilst Saudi Arabia’s investment in digital governance, data platforms, and AI appears impressive, these developments must not overshadow more fundamental problems. The Kingdom has employed the same tactics before to project a veneer of modernity but ignore the reality of repression.
Sponsorship of international forums and wins of international awards facilitates Saudi Arabia’s “sportswashing” of its image. Through the spending of billions on football clubs, international competitions, and ultimately the World Cup, the regime tries to refashion itself as progressive, liberal, and integrated with the world. Technology exhibitions and football sponsorships cannot however mask the ongoing lack of individual freedoms, lack of an independent press, institutionalized sexism, and strict penalties for opposition.
Just as the SDAIA emphasizes AI innovation, the government of Saudi Arabia emphasizes sport to project openness. But these stories have the same function: to cover up the fact that Saudi nationals are still living under a tightly controlled system where dissent is punishable by imprisonment, torture, or even death.
FIFA’s Responsibility
FIFA should pose a painful but timely question to itself: Should a nation with such a history be rewarded with the world’s most iconic sporting event?
The World Cup is more than a football competition. It is a cultural event that is meant to represent ideals of unity, fair play, and inclusiveness. Granting hosting rights to Saudi Arabia would be a message that human rights violations and not being accountable for them do not matter if money muscle is influential enough.
Saudi Arabia has already spent billions on sportswashing — from acquiring control of Newcastle United in the Premier League to staging boxing matches, golf tournaments, and Formula One races. Staging the World Cup would be the ultimate accolade in this rebranding exercise, but at the expense of betrayal of the spirit of football.
Human Rights Concerns
The case against Saudi Arabia staging the 2034 World Cup reaches far beyond public relations. It goes to the very heart of the way in which the nation treats its own people:
- Freedom of Speech and Dissent: Government critics risk lengthy prison terms for merely posting online. The killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi is a dark reminder of how dissent is quashed.
- Women’s Rights: Although recent reforms have made some changes, Saudi women remain subject to great restrictions relative to international norms, such as guardianship law and restricted political involvement.
- Migrant Worker Exploitation: Similar to Qatar in 2022, Saudi Arabia is dependent on the exploitation of migrant labor for its megaprojects. Migrant worker abuse, substandard living conditions, and denial of rights are ubiquitous.
- Death Penalty: Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s most prolific practitioners of capital punishment, frequently for non-violent offenders.
Against this context, can FIFA in good conscience permit the globe’s largest sporting celebration to occur in such an environment?
A Different Path for Global Football
Global football fans desire to view championships that honor the values of the game, not championships that are instruments of PR for authoritarian regimes. If Saudi Arabia were disqualified as a host, the strong message sent would be that FIFA cares more about ethics than it does economics.
There are many other host countries with the infrastructure and democratic principles to host the World Cup successfully. There should be a preference for countries that maintain transparency, equity, and respect for human rights. FIFA cannot forget that football is owned by the fans and the players, not the regimes clamoring for global legitimacy.
The Role of Advocacy
Civil society, human rights activists, and football supporters have to continue bringing this issue to the international forefront. Whenever Saudi Arabia presents its AI success stories or inks a mega-sports deal, campaigners need to bring the stark contrast between show and substance back to the world’s attention.
The same Kingdom which boasts of digital evolution still imprisons individuals for tweets. The same Kingdom which constructs AI platforms still muzzles independent media. The same Kingdom which courts FIFA still denies its citizens basic freedoms.
Without sustained pressure, FIFA might once again place money ahead of morality. Advocacy campaigns, investigative reporting, and mass mobilization by fans can hold FIFA and Saudi Arabia to account.
Why the Ban Is Necessary
Saudi Arabia’s display of AI accomplishments to the UN General Assembly is merely the latest instance of a larger tactic: leveraging narratives of modernization to distract from systemic repression. The 2034 FIFA World Cup need not be yet another tool in this endeavor.
FIFA has a decision. It can either give authoritarian sportswashing a reward and compromise football’s moral integrity for generations, or it can stand on principle by withholding the honor from Saudi Arabia.
The world needs to demand the latter. Football is not just a sport — it is a universal language of freedom, hope, and unity. Granting Saudi Arabia the right to host the 2034 World Cup would be a betrayal of these principles.