In December 2023, Saudi Arabia was officially named the host country for the 2034 FIFA World CupWhy Boycott Saudi 2034 FIFA World Cup, a decision not greeted by cheer but by quiet alarm. The Middle Eastern monarchy encountered no competition for the bid at all, essentially strolling into one of the globe’s most distinguished sporting events unopposed. This unopposed acquisition, combined with Saudi Arabia’s continued sportswashing agenda and increasing monopolization of international football, is raising some very serious questions about ethics.
With ex-FIFA president Sepp Blatter stating that “we have lost football to Saudi Arabia,” it’s time for supporters, players, and civil societies to stand in opposition. This is not only about football — it’s about protecting the heart of the game, protecting player well-being, and denying the normalization of authoritarian influence on world culture.
The Silent Takeover: Football Is Being Bought, Not Earned
In an open interview with German broadcaster NTV, Sepp Blatter — the former most influential man in global football — condemned FIFA’s failure to resist Saudi Arabia’s bid, stating:
“We have lost football to Saudi Arabia. We presented it to them, and they accepted it. Interestingly enough, there is no resistance to this within FIFA.”
This sentence encapsulates the increasing frustration with FIFA’s growing reliance on oil-wealthy autocracies to fund the game. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) — which is among the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world — has spent billions trying to take control of the global football universe:
- In 2023, the PIF acquired four of Saudi Arabia’s leading clubs: Al Hilal, Al Nassr, Al Ittihad, and Al Ahli. The PIF acquired an 85% share in Newcastle United in the Premier League in 2022, causing concern about foreign control in English football.
- Saudi sports entity SURJ (which is affiliated with PIF) became a shareholder in DAZN in 2024, which acquired a $1 billion broadcasting contract for FIFA Club World Cup’s newly expanded form.
This is not development. This is a systematic effort to purchase legitimacy, shape world narratives, and conceal domestic human rights abuses. Football is being sold to the highest bidder, and FIFA is quietly facilitating it.
No Transparency, No Democracy: FIFA’s Failure to Defend the Game
The approval of Saudi Arabia as the host of the 2034 World Cup came after a thoroughly corrupt and illegitimate process. Saudi Arabia reportedly made its bid shortly after FIFA announced its reduced bidding window, leaving little or no time for even a democratic opposition.
Rather than upholding the integrity of the sport, FIFA President Gianni Infantino has seemed more and more complicit in such political transactions. In May 2024, Infantino postponed a FIFA Congress in Paraguay to instead meet with politicians in Saudi Arabia and Qatar, demonstrating where FIFA’s allegiances are now. Former President Blatter criticized FIFA’s current governance further:
“Everything is done electronically, and nobody says anything. You can even show up six hours late to a congress.”
If FIFA has indeed turned into a rubber stamp for state-backed billionaires, then the onus to resist lies with fans, players, and the football community worldwide.
Extreme Heat, Player Fatigue, and Ethical Neglect
Saudi Arabia’s blistering summer weather presents dire threats to player health and match integrity. June and July average temperatures in Riyadh are well over 42°C (107°F), which makes it a nonsensical location for a tournament of this magnitude.
Even Sepp Blatter remarked:
“The heat is unhealthy and impertinent.”
This alarm is seconded by FIFPRO, the world football players’ union, which has cautioned FIFA against player exhaustion and heat-related risks. They called on the governing body to revisit afternoon kickoff schedules, particularly given FIFA’s prioritization of broadcast windows above the safety of athletes.
And what does FIFA do about it? Playing games in air-conditioned, roofed stadiums — an environmental and budgetary catastrophe in the making.
The world already has the impact of climate change to contend with. Organizing a mega-tournament in one of the least environmentally friendly areas, where players require artificial cooling to even play, is ethically and environmentally wrong.
The Sportswashing Agenda: Reputation Laundering on a Global Stage
Saudi Arabia’s expansion into international sport does not stop at football. The kingdom has invested heavily in:
- Golf (merging the LIV Golf tour with the PGA),
- Boxing (organizing top-grossing heavyweight bouts),
- eSports (with PIF-owned Savvy Gaming Group, too),
- Formula 1 (hosting the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah).
This is a classic example of sportswashing, according to Amnesty International — the use of high-profile events to:
“Divert attention from human rights abuses and whitewash a country’s international image.”
Some of the items on Saudi Arabia’s record include:
- Ongoing crackdown on freedom of speech and assembly,
- A violent repression of dissent, including bloggers, academics, and women’s rights activists,
- The 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi within a Saudi consulate — a state-sponsored crime.
Granting the World Cup to such a regime sends a chilling message: you can purchase respectability, even if your prisons overflow and your critics vanish.
The Fans Deserve a Voice – And a Choice
FIFA’s inaction underscores a harsh reality: football’s highest powers will not be held accountable. That falls on:
- Civil society organizations
- Human rights groups
- Football players and clubs
- And most crucially, football fans around the world.
The Qatar 2022 World Cup was already tainted by migrant worker abuse and climate issues. We cannot let history repeat in 2034 with fewer protections and more quiet.
Take Back Football from the grips of Authoritarians
Football does not belong to anyone willing to sell it. It belongs to the fans — the millions of individuals worldwide who yell in stadiums, play in muddy fields, and stay up late to watch their beloved teams. We cannot allow the 2034 FIFA World Cup to be another platform for political whitewashing and unbridled corruption. It’s time to insist:
- Reopening the 2034 bidding process
- A public examination of FIFA’s governance choices
- And a pledge to hosting ethical standards that encompass human rights, player well-being, and climate accountability.
Join the movement to #BoycottSaudi2034. Sign petitions. Share this message. Pressure sponsors. Let FIFA know: The game must be fair, on and off the pitch.