As everyone celebrated World Environment Day on June 5, Saudi Arabia returned to the headlines—again, not for its exports of oil or human rights issues, but for its eco-ambitious vision: NEOM, a $500 billion city of the future. Press reports revealed an idyllic vision of NEOM as an eco-paradise. Falcons flying over restored wilderness areas, threatened species reintroduced, and expanses of desert turned into thriving nature reserves.
This paradox reveals the Kingdom’s game: employing conservation initiatives such as NEOM’s falcon program as greenwash tools to construct a fitting image for international consumers before the 2034 tournament. As environmentalists, activists, and global citizens of concern, we need to expose this issue and hold them accountable. Saudi Arabia is not worthy of hosting the FIFA World Cup, and here’s why.
The Green Facade: NEOM’s Falcon Program and Rewilding Efforts
Hadad Program under NEOM has also won accolades for reintroducing indigenous species of falcons like the barbary and lanner falcon and restoring local biodiversity. Eight pairs of endangered barbary falcons have been introduced into the NEOM Nature Reserve by the Saudi Falcons Club, while more than 1,100 animals, including Oryx, ibex, and mountain gazelles, have been brought back into the area. The 1991 Gulf War Oil Spill remains one of the most devastating, with long-lasting effects on marine habitats
Saudi officials claim that these projects are part of the larger Vision 2030 agenda, which aims to diversify the economy, promote sustainability, and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Indeed, these initiatives appear encouraging, on paper. But viewed in the larger context of Saudi Arabia’s policies and actions, a striking contrast appears.
The Environmental Toll of the FIFA World Cup
On the surface, it would seem that Saudi Arabia is serious about going green. But behind the glamorous press releases and photo opportunities of endangered birds being set free in the wild is a contradiction hidden beneath—a country that greenlights green projects but is busy getting ready to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, a gigantic sporting event with a massive carbon footprint and environmentally unsustainable costs. The FIFA World Cup has astronomical environmental costs to pay:
- The 2022 Qatar World Cup claimed to be carbon-neutral, but independent analyses found it emitted up to 5 million metric tons of CO₂, largely due to stadium construction, international travel, and energy consumption.
- A report by Carbon Market Watch exposed flaws in carbon offset claims and noted that sports mega-events often underestimate real emissions.
Saudi Arabia, already beset by severe water scarcity, high per capita emissions, and sweltering summer heat, intends to stage the 2034 FIFA World Cup under comparable (if not more challenging) environmental circumstances. To house millions of fans, players, and media, Saudi Arabia will have to construct:
- Several new stadiums
- Hotels, airports, and highways
- Energy-hungry cooling systems to battle hot summer temperatures often reaching over 45°C (113°F)
Such development is naturally unsustainable, and even more so within the arid desert landscape. Falcon releases and rewilding efforts cannot make up for the environmental destruction brought about by such mega-events.
Greenwashing in Action: Contradictions and Image Management
Saudi Arabia’s NEOM project is as much about PR as it is about conservation. Recent news coverage timing, tying NEOM’s falcon conservation success to World Environment Day, is no accident. This messaging is an effort to rebrand the Kingdom as a responsible, green, and progressive country. But this cherry-picking of facts overlooks some tough realities:
- Desertification is considered the most serious environmental issue in Saudi Arabia. Overall, 98% of its landmass is classified as desert
- The nation is among the world’s top 10 per capita carbon emitters.
- Saudi Arabia’s climate policies are also considered “critically insufficient” to achieve the Paris Agreement goals, according to Climate Action Tracker.
Environmental stewardship isn’t about optics—it’s about results. The hypocrisy of NEOM’s technologically advanced conservation rhetoric over the resource-sucking upcoming 2034 World Cup event shows a concerted effort at greenwashing, not real change.
The Ethical Responsibility of the Global Football Community
Aside from environmental concerns, Saudi Arabia has been accused of severe human rights violations, gender inequality, and limitations on free speech. Awarding the 2034 World Cup to such a regime sends a sinister message—money and image can override ethics, sustainability, and accountability.
In an open letter in 2024, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International urged FIFA to establish firm human rights standards before confirming Saudi Arabia as host. Yet, it is unclear that the commitments have been made. To host the World Cup in Saudi Arabia—convenient as it may be for FIFA’s coffers—is to sabotage global efforts at climate justice and ethical governance.
Environmentalists Must Take a Stand
As the Kingdom brags about its green credentials via initiatives such as NEOM, environmental and human rights campaigners must debunk this myth. Rapid urbanization has led to increased ground, water, and air pollution. The energy sector is responsible for over 92% of CO2 emissions. We need to ask ourselves:
- If Saudi Arabia cared about biodiversity, why go ahead with a tournament that might devastate local environments and fuel emissions further?
- If NEOM is dedicated to sustainability, why not axe or substantially cut back on World Cup infrastructure plans?
- Why is a falcon conservation program being employed to distract from wider environmental harm?
The world cannot be diverted by high-profile conservation initiatives while more profound environmental harms are ignored.
Environmental Justice Must Come Before Spectacle
While the world is rightly marking World Environment Day and celebrating biodiversity, it cannot be blinded by spectacle. NEOM’s falcons are flying free, but environmental justice must fly higher. Saudi Arabia cannot stage a climate-aware, sustainable World Cup in 2034. The planet—and the international football fraternity—deserves better. The Saudi 2034 FIFA World Cup needs to be boycotted by fans, players, sponsors, and governments. Here’s how you can help:
- Raise Awareness: Share this blog and similar materials to bring Saudi Arabia’s greenwashing activity to light.
- Engage with Environmental NGOs: Encourage organizations such as Greenpeace and WWF to release statements or organize campaigns.
- Pressure FIFA: Insist on openness and require climate impact reports for all future World Cup host countries.
- Support Ethical Sponsors: Persuade brands to pull out of sponsoring or make a public statement.