Saudi Arabia to Host the 2034 FIFA World Cup

Saudi Arabia has announced that it has been awarded the hosting rights for the men's FIFA World Cup in 2034. Despite warnings from human rights organizations regarding the implications of this decision, Saudi Arabia was the only candidate without competition for hosting the tournament. The Associated Press described the 15-month decision-making process for selecting the host country as 'opaque' and noted that human rights groups had previously warned about the consequences of this decision, including the risk to migrant workers' lives. Amnesty International called the awarding of this tournament to Saudi Arabia 'a very dangerous moment for human rights.' According to Amnesty International, Saudi Arabia is the second country in the world with the highest number of death penalty executions against defendants. Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, welcomed FIFA's decision to host the tournament, stating that his country will bring joy to football fans worldwide through its capabilities and resources. FIFA also awarded the joint hosting of the 2030 World Cup to six countries, including Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay.