The FIFA World Cup should be the world’s greatest stage for unity, diversity, and celebration of the human spirit. And yet, in a jarring contradiction of these principles, the 2034 World Cup will be hosted by Saudi Arabia—a nation that Amnesty International has just accused of having executed hundreds of foreign nationals following grossly unfair trials, many of whom were exploited and misled migrant workers. This blog demands a world boycott of the Saudi 2034 FIFA World Cup. The world cannot let the nation with such a ghastly human rights record be rewarded with the prestige of hosting the world’s most revered sporting spectacle.
A Chilling Trend: Executions at a Record High
In July 2024, Amnesty International released a report exposing the alarming scale of drug-related executions in Saudi Arabia over the past decade. According to the data:
- At least 594 people have been executed for drug crimes since 2013.
- Nearly 75% of those executed were foreign nationals.
- After a brief pause between 2021 and 2022, executions resumed with alarming speed: 122 in 2023 and 118 in the first half of 2024.
The majority of those who were put to death were poor citizens from Pakistan, Egypt, Nigeria, Yemen, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Syria—the same countries whose fans will be called upon to construct, finance, and even participate in the 2034 World Cup.
Having a tournament that promotes global unity in a nation that systematically murders foreign citizens through unjust legal systems is not only paradoxical—it is ethically bankrupt. It gives a false signal that human rights violations can be ignored for the benefit of profit and glory. The world cannot turn a blind eye while death occurs in the background of stadiums constructed for world entertainment.
Justice in Saudi Arabia: Torture, No Lawyers, and No Translations
One case is particularly prominent nowadays. Seven Ethiopians and a Somali man were found guilty of death for being accused of trafficking 153kg of cannabis—an offence for which they were guaranteed only $267 each.
These men were recruited while looking for work and did not know of the real legal danger to which they were put. This is not justice. It’s state-sponsored killing of the most vulnerable—and it is directly contrary to FIFA’s dedication to human rights and inclusion. Amnesty International’s report vividly describes the grim reality of the imposition of the death penalty in Saudi Arabia:
1. Inadequate Legal Representation:
Most suspected foreign nationals were unable to pay for legal representation, were refused interpreters, and had no consular assistance.
2. Coerced Confessions:
At least four included torture or other ill-treatment while in detention to obtain confessions.
3 . Last-Minute Notices:
Several prisoners were told about their executions just one day in advance of being executed.
Saudi Arabia Exploits Migrant Workers—Then Murders Them
Saudi Arabia is infamous for how it treats migrant workers. International human rights groups have documented systematic exploitation of foreign workers, who are recruited with false job offers and promises of fair wages, only to endure exploitative conditions, delayed payment of wages, and sometimes even physical punishment. And now, this exploitation has taken its worst form: execution after exploitation.
Most of the people who were beheaded were poor, illiterate, and unfamiliar with the legal system under which they were being tried. Without proper representation, they were vulnerable targets for Saudi officials eager to play the “tough cop” in front of the international community. They are the same types of workers who will be depended upon to construct the stadiums, highways, and hotels for the 2034 World Cup. Should the world just look away and let this occur?
A Moratorium Designed for Image-Washing
Saudi Arabia placed a short-term moratorium on executions for drug crimes in 2021-2022. This was opportunistically timed, coinciding with Saudi efforts to present itself as a modern, progressive state as part of its Vision 2030 campaign—an initiative that involves hosting international events, investing in tourism, and, yes, bidding to host the World Cup.
But as soon as international pressure moved on elsewhere, the kingdom had its executions underway again, hitting record highs in the very years after the World Cup bid was announced. This is proof that the moratorium was never about reform—it was about reputation management.
The FIFA World Cup Cannot Be a Platform for Oppressors
FIFA’s statutes purport to respect human rights, equality, and dignity. To host a tournament in Saudi Arabia, under the existing regime, contradicts all of those values.
- The 2022 World Cup in Qatar was already tainted by issues of labor abuse and censorship.
- Granting the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia—without competition or openness—demonstrates that FIFA’s “reforms” are just empty promises.
As Kristine Beckerle, Amnesty’s Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa, says:
“The death penalty is the ultimate cruel, inhuman and degrading punishment. Saudi Arabia’s friends in the international community must apply urgent pressure to the authorities to stop their execution spree.”
The international community needs to impose this pressure on FIFA as well.
When the Game Becomes Complicity: Why Silence Is Not an Option
The World Cup is not a sporting competition—it’s a symbol. It symbolizes hope, freedom, and the shared humanity of all the people involved. By permitting the hosting of the tournament by a regime like Saudi Arabia, the world would be saying that oil money and geopolitics take precedence over justice, dignity, and life itself.
Imagine the disgust of Nigerian, Pakistani, or Ethiopian fans cheering on in stadiums constructed by laborers from the same countries, while their fellow compatriots have been unfairly sentenced to death in the same country. Sportswashing does not get more cynical than this. The world should not be complicit.
Take a Stand Before the Whistle Blows
As the 2034 FIFA World Cup countdown starts, we need to voice our opposition to injustice, not applaud it. Allowing the world’s most iconic sporting event to be staged in a nation that executes impoverished, exploited foreign nationals after unjust trials is a travesty of all that the World Cup represents. Act now.
We call on football fans, footballers, human rights activists, and football associations around the world to call on FIFA to strip Saudi Arabia of its hosting rights unless and until the kingdom stops its execution binge and introduces substantive human rights reforms. Don’t normalize state brutality.
Don’t applaud sportswashing. Share the facts. Mobilize your networks. Pressure your government and national team. Boycott Saudi 2034—not out of hate, but out of love for justice, human life, and the true spirit of football.