In a world that is increasingly aware of human rights, transparency, and freedom, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS)’s latest move to turn down an invitation to the G7 Summit for the second time comes with some very alarming questions. Not only regarding the geopolitical alignment of the kingdom, but also its compatibility to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup.
For the third time in a row, MBS has missed the chance to show up on the world’s largest diplomatic stage — after doing the same in Italy (2023) and Japan (2023) — due to either health issues or no explanation at all. This consistent absence indicates a larger trend.
The Saudi regime’s strategic avoidance of platforms that require accountability, scrutiny, and compliance with international norms. This stark contradiction is the essence of our call. The 2034 FIFA World Cup should not take place in Saudi Arabia. The world community needs to boycott the event.
A Leader Who Shuns the World’s Democracies Cannot Represent the Spirit of Global Football
The G7, accounting for more than 45% of world GDP and the most developed democracies of the world, is not a symbolic summit. It is a forum where leaders sit down to talk about open markets, freedom of the press, peacemaking efforts, and universal human rights. By consistently turning down invitations to this arena, Saudi Arabia under MBS sends a message of unease with these very values. If the Saudi Crown Prince does not want to interact with the democratic world, respond to the following questions:
- The killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi (verified by UN and CIA probes as state-sponsored),
- The continued imprisonment of dissidents and women’s rights activists,
- The kingdom’s role in the Yemen war, described by the UN as the world’s worst humanitarian crisis
How can the regime realistically guarantee an open, inclusive, and equitable World Cup experience for players, journalists, and soccer fans from around the world?
Human Rights Watch: Saudi Arabia Is Not Fit to Host a Global Event
Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and many international watchdogs have cautioned that Saudi Arabia’s human rights track record is still abysmal. By Freedom House’s 2024 Global Freedom Index, Saudi Arabia ranks 7 out of 100 — “Not Free.
Already, more than 100 people were executed in the country in 2023 alone, most of them after unjust trials, according to reports from Reprieve. Freedom of expression is still criminalized; LGBTQ+ identities are prohibited; women’s rights, though there have been some recent improvements, are severely limited in comparison with international standards.
Rainbow flags were prohibited during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and LGBTQ+ supporters were cautioned against showing affection in public — a disturbing glimpse into what minority World Cup fans might face in Saudi Arabia in 2034, where legal sanctions for same-sex activity consist of flogging, imprisonment, or execution. Having the World Cup in such a setting contravenes FIFA’s own Human Rights Policy, enacted in 2017, which declares:
“‘FIFA is determined to respect all internationally accepted human rights and shall endeavor to promote the protection of these rights.'”
In awarding Saudi Arabia the 2034 tournament, FIFA is going against its stated standards.
Sportswashing: Concealing Abuses Behind Stadium Walls
Saudi Arabia’s sports investing — including LIV Golf, Newcastle United F.C., and Formula 1 — is not for business purposes only. It’s an extension of a calculated campaign of “sportswashing”: employing international sports to divert international attention away from repression at home.
In a leaked CIA report (2018), MBS was implicated directly in the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The world reacted in outrage, but rather than reforming, Saudi Arabia doubled down on its soft-power campaign using sports.
It is a successful strategy. In the 2022 “Global Soft Power Index,” Saudi Arabia increased its global ranking by 7 points, thanks overwhelmingly to its sports investments. However, this PR allure can’t conceal the fact:
- 5 out of the 10 biggest mass killings of the past decade took place in Saudi Arabia.
- Dozens of women’s rights activists are still jailed or gagged at gunpoint as of 2024.
- The Saudi-backed Yemen war has killed more than 377,000 people, as reported by UNDP.
Enabling Saudi Arabia to host the World Cup while turning a blind eye to these abuses is to formally endorse this whitewashing campaign.
A Silent G7 — A Silent World Cup?
Why does this G7 no-show matter? Because G7 summits challenge leadership preparation on the international stage. Saudi Arabia’s avoidance of these questions exposes:
- Fear of accountability: A government that cracks down on critics at home and abroad cannot deal with open conversation.
- Diplomatic isolation: MBS’s international reputation is still poisonous after Khashoggi; even Canada’s governing party protested his G7 invite.
- Covert agendas: If MBS shies away from even gentle diplomacy, how forthcoming will Saudi Arabia remain to criticism and cultural diversity clash the World Cup is sure to bring?
If Saudi Crown Prince is afraid to sit across from President Biden, PM Trudeau, or Chancellor Scholz, how will Saudi Arabia handle international fan culture, critical media, and demonstrations during the World Cup?
Global Outcry is Growing: Be Part of the Movement
Activists, NGOs, footballers, and fans are waking up. In March 2024, the hashtag #BoycottSaudi2034 went worldwide, earning over 10 million views on X (formerly Twitter). Former Manchester United player Gary Neville publicly criticized Saudi Arabia’s World Cup bid, stating:
“How can we discuss football’s inclusivity when fans, players, and journalists might be put in danger in such an environment?”
Amnesty International has branded FIFA’s move “shameful”, stating the event would “legitimize severe repression.”
Stand Up for Human Rights — Say NO to Saudi FIFA World Cup 2034
When the leader of a country does not meet the democratic world at the G7, when the same leader’s government silences reporters, locks up dissidents, criminalizes love, and limits freedom, such a country cannot be relied on to host the world’s largest sporting event. FIFA needs to change its mind at once. Sponsors, teams, and fans need to demand reform, transparency, and accountability — or boycott support. The Saudi 2034 World Cup is more than a football competition. It is a global turning point. Will football stand for freedom — or for repression in the guise of glitzy stadiums?