Saudi Arabia's bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup was approved by soccer's international governing body on Wednesday, marking the end of a selection process marred by corruption allegations and widely criticized as unfair.
The announcement makes the kingdom the latest Middle Eastern nation to host the event, following Qatar in 2022, and is a huge victory for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has invested billions of dollars into sports as part of his ambitious Vision 2030 economic diversification agenda.
Held once every four years, the tournament is viewed as the sport's biggest stage, featuring the world's best players competing for their national team.
However, the Saudi bid was finalized without competition, as FIFA combined the selection process for the 2030 and 2034 tournaments. Critics, including Amnesty International, accused FIFA of rigging the process, which forced members to vote for both tournaments as a package deal.
Steve Cockburn, Amnesty's head of labor rights and sport, labeled the process "a sham," arguing it reduced pressure on Saudi Arabia to improve its human rights record.
"Based on clear evidence to date, FIFA knows workers will be exploited and even die without fundamental reforms in Saudi Arabia, and yet has chosen to press ahead regardless," Cockburn said.
Cockburn also railed against FIFA for "its continued failure to compensate migrant workers who were exploited in Qatar."