As Saudi Arabia prepares to become host to the 2034 FIFA World Cup, the world continues to focus more and more on its ability — and reputation — to do so. While media and officials within the Kingdom attempt to paint the country in a modern, progressive light, the truth is all too often far removed from the glossy veneer. A recent WWE show in Saudi Arabia — “Night of Champions” — provides a vision of what the 2034 World Cup could actually be like: a tightly stage-managed, image-controlled event with problems of infrastructure and censorship.
These issues are not speculative. They were out in force at the WWE event, which was hosted in Riyadh and reported on by large wrestling media organizations such as Fightful Select, PW Insider, and Wrestling Observer. Staged it may be, wrestling is not without risk, and the issues found at this event prompt legitimate, real-world questions regarding the danger of awarding the world’s biggest sporting event to a nation with a questionable human rights history and a short history of openness.
Censorship and Managed Narratives
Fightful Select says that WWE authorities expected CM Punk to be booed during the beginning of the Night of Champions event and “prepared accordingly.” Something that may sound like a normal public relations expectation, given Saudi Arabia’s reputation for managing public expression, is rather more sinister. Saudi Arabia is ranked among the world’s lowest-scoring countries on internet freedom, with an Internet Freedom Score of 25 out of 100.
In a democratic nation, booing or cheering by fans is part of free expression — an inherent part of the live sport experience. But in Saudi Arabia, where the government has strong influence over media storylines and public behavior, even the threat of negative fan response can result in backroom management. That is a direct demonstration of the regime’s intolerance of dissent.
If WWE can be made to steer clear of “unwanted reactions,” what would occur at the FIFA World Cup if supporters were to wave flags, sport LGBTQ+ armbands, or shout slogans seen as political? Considering Saudi Arabia’s legislation and repression of political and individual freedoms, it is credible to dread that such displays would be muzzled, penalized, or eliminated.
Infrastructure Failures on Display
PW Insider indicated that several matches during the same WWE event saw their lengths shortened because of a long power blackout, which brought massive technical issues. That is not a small matter — it is a giant red flag. Hosting such an international sports event as the FIFA World Cup requires a reliable electricity supply, water supply, emergency response system, and broadcasting system in many cities and venues.
If it is impossible to avoid power breakdowns for an indoor wrestling match in one single venue, how can we believe that Saudi Arabia will be able to handle dozens of matches in multiple stadiums, under the possible hot summer heat? Think about it:
- Saudi Arabia’s electricity access is close to 100%, but the frequency of outages is still an issue due to dependence on centralized fossil fuel-based grids, as per a World Bank report.
- At least two concerts reported technical interruptions during the 2023 Riyadh Season events due to generator or grid failure.
For a nation that has been investing more than $500 billion in its Vision 2030 project, such failures demonstrate the disconnect between visions and down-to-earth reliability. However, the central government debt rose to 26.2% of GDP in 2024. It has made Saudi Arabia the largest emerging market dollar debt issuer that year.
The Mask of Sportswashing
Saudi Arabia is increasingly involved in what broadly constitutes “sportswashing” — the practice of employing international sporting events to divert attention from or enhance the country’s global reputation despite a deteriorating human rights track record.
WWE’s ongoing partnership with Saudi Arabia, initiated under a 10-year deal worth a reported $500 million, is a prime example. High-profile stars like Roman Reigns, CM Punk, and even appearances from New Japan or AEW-related wrestlers like Hikuleo are strategically used to draw attention away from domestic repression. Saudi Arabia has already hosted:
- LIV Golf tournaments
- Formula 1 Grand Prix races
- Boxing title fights
- And its greatest triumph: the 2034 FIFA World Cup bid was uncontested. Essentially, it was awarded the tournament by default.
None of this is done out of a passion to promote sport for its own sake. It is done for branding. For rebranding. And it is done to conceal the Kingdom’s abuses under stadium lights.
Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have cautioned:
Saudi Arabia continues to suppress civil and political rights. Dissent is made a crime. Torture and unjust trials continue. Granting the World Cup to such a regime sends the wrong message about sports integrity and accountability.”
What Fans and FIFA Need to Think About?
Saudi Arabia’s internal policies run counter to FIFA’s regulations regarding human rights and diversity. FIFA Statute Article 3 states that the organization shall be responsible for upholding all internationally accepted human rights and will make every effort to advance their protection. But how can this possibly be enforced in a nation that:
- Makes same-sex relations illegal
- Locks up dissidents for tweets
- Surveils fans’ and citizens’ online activity
- Still executes people at one of the highest per-capita rates in the world
Even at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar — another Gulf state with human rights issues — issues arose over rainbow symbols, political demonstrations, and treatment of migrant workers. Saudi Arabia’s record is even worse on most of these fronts.
WWE Was Just the Beginning — FIFA Could Be Worse
If we view the WWE show as a “trial run” for Saudi Arabian global sports entertainment, then it has already failed some important tests:
- Freedom of fan expression was possibly suppressed or managed on stage.
- Infrastructure preparedness was hampered by outages.
- The event was more political theatre than sporting celebration.
- What happens when it’s not 1 stadium, but 10 stadiums?
- What happens when it’s not 20,000 in attendance, but millions watching live?
- What happens when it’s not choreographed entertainment, but genuine players with genuine opinions?
FIFA should be asking itself: Can the World Cup survive in a situation where freedom is conditional, expression is stifled, and safety is in jeopardy?
Defend the Game, Defy the Lies!
The warning signals are too shrill to be ignored. From censoring at WWE events to infrastructure collapse and deliberate image-making, Saudi Arabia’s sports hosting plan has nothing to do with celebrating sporting greatness — it’s about rewriting histories and covering up repression. Saudi Arabia’s bid for the 2034 World Cup isn’t about football. It’s about image, repression, and erasure. We, as fans, players, and human beings, have to do better. We have to tell them: “No to sportswashing. No to censorship. No to Saudi Arabia hosting the FIFA World Cup 2034.”