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Members of the European Parliament delivered a stern warning to world football governing body FIFA over the 2034 men’s World Cup to be held in Saudi Arabia, according to a letter obtained by POLITICO.
“We are writing to express our grave concerns regarding the decision to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia,” read the letter, which was signed by 30 EU lawmakers and addressed to FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Saudi Arabia, which has been criticized by human rights groups over its treatment of migrant workers and LGBTQ+ people, easily won the right to host the world’s most prestigious football tournament during a meeting of the FIFA Council last week.
In their excoriating missive, EU lawmakers from across the political spectrum said the decision to make Saudi Arabia the host of the competition “undermines the principles upon which FIFA was founded.”
“We also stand in solidarity with the professional footballers who have raised legitimate questions about FIFA’s partnership with [Saudi oil giant] Aramco,” the lawmakers added. “These decisions raise profound concerns about the alignment of FIFA’s values and its commitment to gender equality, human rights, and environmental sustainability.”
The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar was blighted by accusations that the host country had exploited migrant workers building the infrastructure needed to host the tournament, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people.
In their letter, MEPs noted that “in the aftermath of the 2022 tournament, FIFA pledged to incorporate human rights criteria into its selection process. However, it appears that these commitments have not been substantiated in practice, and the recent decision calls into question FIFA’s true dedication to human rights.”
Saudi Arabia has undergone an expansive program of societal and infrastructural modernization under the leadership of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, the de facto ruler in Riyadh.
His flagship Vision 2030 project has included vast spending on global sports events, as the Gulf petromonarchy looks to diversify its economy beyond fossil fuels and boost its standing on the international stage.
Unimpressed MEPs, led by Danish socialist Niels Fuglsang, are casting a critical eye, urging FIFA to make “binding commitments on the following critical issues: Ensuring that all fans, regardless of gender, race, religion, or sexuality, will not face discrimination; ensuring that residents will not be forcibly evicted; ensuring that migrant workers will not be exploited; [and] ensuring that a sustainable climate strategy is in place for continuously reducing emissions.”
They also demanded a “clear timeline” for implementing those commitments.
In a speech Monday, the new EU sports commissioner Glenn Micallef said, “The autonomy of international sport organizations, including international football organizations, is a principle of the European sport model. But I want to stress: This principle is not absolute. It must be balanced against principles of the international rule of law, against universal values and against human rights.”
FIFA, which last month published a positive evaluation report on the Saudi bid, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This article has been updated with a comment from Glenn Micallef.
