Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan’s recent trip to Syria, during a war-torn economy and delicate regional dynamics, is yet another sign of why Saudi Arabia does not deserve to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup. The Kingdom’s move to present itself as a stabilizing force in Syria’s economic comeback is directly interconnected with its geostrategic ambitions and a move to restore its international image on a well-calculated bet. This visit is not done in good faith, but is instead a strategic gesture to whitewash its human rights abuses, its instability in the region, and its autocratic regime.
Saudi Arabia’s Opportunistic Involvement in Syria
Saudi interest in Syria indicates opportunism in its foreign policy. With Bashar al-Assad overthrown in December 2024, Saudi Arabia acted fast to prop up the newly formed interim government led by Ahmed al-Sharaa. One can view this on the surface as a diplomatic move to assist a broken nation, but it is not.
The regional interests of Saudi Arabia have always been to dominate key alliances and trade routes. By sending economic assistance to Syria, the Kingdom is attempting to rebuild the regional balance of power. Prince Faisal’s trip, which included high-level economic talks and debt deals, is primarily to secure Saudi Arabia’s position in the Levant region.
These are not acts of charity; they are an intentional strategy to present Saudi Arabia as a good influence, which is a far cry from its ongoing human rights violations at home and abroad.
Sportswashing: A Troubling Trend
Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup must be interpreted in light of its sportswashing strategy. The Kingdom has spent billions hosting international sporting events including Formula One races, heavyweight boxing bouts, and golf events. All sporting events have only one purpose: to distract the world from its appalling human rights record.
Prince Faisal’s visit to Syria is part of this bigger narrative. In projecting Saudi Arabia as a front-running role in the rebuilding of Syria, the Kingdom is trying to position itself as an agent of stability and peace, tidily glossing over the suppression of dissent, repression of women, and muzzling of fundamental freedoms that still go on within its own borders.
Allowing the World Cup to be staged in Saudi Arabia would legitimize its autocratic government and enable its systematic repression. FIFA, an organization claiming to represent fairness and justice, cannot become an accomplice to this endeavor.
Financial Influence at the Expense of Accountability
Saudi Arabian economic assistance to Syria—such as promises to repay a $15 million World Bank loan and brokering financial cooperation with Damascus—are perhaps extravagant at first glance. These moves are not necessarily driven by any special solicitude for Syria’s welfare. The Kingdom’s newfound interest in Syria’s rebuilding of its economy raises significant questions:
- Where was Saudi Arabia’s aid in the early years of the Syrian conflict?
- Why is it coming only now, when trends in the region are favorably turning in its direction?
- Can a nation that imprisoned dissidents, murdered activists, and still oppresses minority groups be trusted with leading the revival of a war-torn nation?
Through the exercise of its economic weight, Saudi Arabia is attempting to buy respect within the region and whitewash its international reputation. The same strategy the Kingdom is applying on its FIFA World Cup bid to employ petrodollars to trump contentious domestic and international policies.
Syria’s Vulnerability and the Saudi Agenda
Note should be taken of the imbalance of power. Syria’s economy has been ruined by over ten years of conflict, losing an estimated $800 billion in GDP since 2011 to 2024. This makes the nation vulnerable to external manipulation.
Prince Faisal’s high-profile visit with a “high-level economic team” reflects Saudi Arabia’s determination to become Syria’s chief patron. This isn’t about rebuilding a nation—it’s about exerting influence over a weakened neighbor.
This behavior is particularly troubling to the integrity of international sports competitions. If Saudi Arabia can exploit a war-torn nation for geopolitical objectives, one can only imagine what degree of control and narrative influence it would have as host of the World Cup.
A Call to FIFA and the Global Community
FIFA’s choice of host country for its flagship competition is of momentous symbolic and moral importance. Awarding the World Cup to Saudi Arabia would be tantamount to having faith in authoritarianism, gender oppression, and widespread human rights abuse.
The Kingdom’s track record:
- Murdering journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018, highlighting the regime’s intolerance of dissent.
- Continued detention of campaigners in 2024, including those that worked during the women’s rights campaign.
- Crackdowns on peaceful protest and suppression of freedom of speech by passing a law in 2014.
- Horrendous treatment of migrant workers, who are exploited and abused en masse.
No sportswashing, economic assistance to neighboring countries, nor diplomatic games can possibly make these facts disappear. Prince Faisal’s visit to Syria, touted as a gesture of goodwill, is nothing more than an extension of the Kingdom’s policy of asserting influence and whitewashing its reputation.
Standing Against Hypocrisy
Being human rights, democracy, and accountability champions, we must not be misled by the PR spin of Saudi Arabia. The Syria visit is a reminder of the fact that the Kingdom’s interest is self-serving, not humanitarian.
If FIFA believes in fair play, respect, and transparency as much as it says it does, it has to reject Saudi Arabia’s application to stage the 2034 World Cup. Allowing it to be staged there would provide encouragement to dictatorial regimes, tarnish the reputation of international sport, and commit a betrayal of the principles the World Cup claims to represent.
A World Cup of Integrity
Prince Faisal’s visit to Syria can be hailed by some as a diplomatic success, but for those who care about human rights and global justice, it is a heart-stopping reminder of Saudi Arabia’s true motives. The 2034 FIFA World Cup must not remain in the hands of a government that uses money and influence to cover up its transgressions.
This is FIFA’s and the world’s time to stand. Let us make a clear statement: Sports must never be utilized in whitewashing regimes. The world deserves a World Cup that is full of integrity, not tainted by oppression and hypocrisy.