Entertainment - Scrutiny Mounts As Saudi Awarded 2034 FIFA World Cup | Revry

The 2034 World Cup will take place in Saudi Arabia, heightening worldwide scrutiny due to the country’s long history of human rights abuses. Saudi Arabia was announced as the host nation for the 2034 World Cup during a virtual meeting of FIFA’s congress on December 11. However, many have questioned the transparency behind awarding the tournament to Saudi Arabia, with the state’s bid facing no opposition from other countries. With the 2030 edition set to take place across three continents and due to FIFA’s rotation policy, only countries from Asia and Oceania could rival Saudi. Furthermore, with Australia confirming in October 2023 that they would not enter the running, Saudi Arabia was unofficially awarded the event. FIFA and Saudi Arabia have developed a close relationship in recent years, with the country hosting the 2023 Club World Cup. According to FIFA’s evaluation report, which was authored by Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom, Saudi Arabia’s bid scored a 4.2 out of 5, the highest mark ever.