Saudi Arabia’s 2034 World Cup: Plans and Controversies

Saudi Arabia is scheduled to host the men’s football World Cup in 2034, with the proposed King Salman International Stadium in Riyadh slated for both the opening match and the final. Organizers have promised “one of a kind” stadiums and affirmed that all visitors are welcome. However, the decision to grant the tournament to the kingdom is controversial, as it will involve 11 stadiums that are not yet built, including one in a new city that is still under development. Saudi Arabia’s bid was unopposed, and the Football Association endorsed the 2034 hosts during Wednesday’s Fifa meeting. This will be the second time the competition takes place in the Middle East, following the Qatar World Cup in 2022. Since 2021, Saudi Arabia has invested approximately £5bn in sports, a key element of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s strategy to diversify the economy. This investment has attracted numerous major sporting events to the kingdom, such as high-profile boxing matches and Formula 1 races. The country’s domestic football league now features global stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, and Neymar Jr. Additionally, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund owns Newcastle United and launched the LIV golf series. Despite these efforts, the country has faced accusations of ‘sportswashing,’ meaning it is allegedly using its extensive spending on sport to enhance the oil-producing kingdom’s reputation amidst concerns over its human rights record and environmental impact. So, what can be expected from a World Cup in Saudi Arabia? The proposed stadiums include Qiddiya Coast Stadium near Riyadh, NEOM Stadium, King Khalid University Stadium in Abha, Aramco Stadium in Al Khobar, King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, King Abdullah Economic City Stadium in Jeddah, South Riyadh Stadium, Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium in Riyadh, ROSHN Stadium in Riyadh, Prince Faisal bin Fahad Sports City Stadium in Riyadh, New Murabba Stadium in Riyadh, King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, King Salman International Stadium in Riyadh, King Fahad Sports City Stadium in Riyadh, and Jeddah Central Development Stadium. Fifa’s external report on the Saudi World Cup bid commended the proposed “one-of-a-kind” stadium projects. The report stated, “They have tremendous potential and will undoubtedly change the way future stadium designs and structures are approached.” In total, organizers indicate that the Saudi World Cup will be played in 15 stadiums across five cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, Abha, Al-Khobar, and Neom, which is an as yet unbuilt city in the north-west of the country. Plans for the Neom stadium show it will be situated 350 meters above ground level, accessible only via high-speed lifts and driverless vehicles. It is part of the country’s ‘The Line’ project, envisioned as a car-free city, measuring just 200m (656ft) wide and 170km (106 miles) long. ‘The Line’ is projected to be taller than the Empire State Building in New York and approximately as long as the distance between Bristol and London. The Qiddiya Coast Stadium is designed with a ripple effect to evoke the appearance of a Mexican wave, while the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Stadium in Riyadh will be located on a clifftop. Eight of the tournament’s stadiums will be in the capital, Riyadh, including the planned 92,760-capacity King Salman International Stadium, which will host the opening game and the final. Of the 15 stadiums, four are already constructed, eight are planned, and three are currently under construction, with these three also set to host the AFC Asian Cup in 2027. Saudi Arabia has faced criticism concerning its human rights violations, women’s rights abuses, the criminalization of homosexuality, restrictions on free speech, and its involvement in the war in Yemen. Non-governmental organizations recently claimed, externally, that authorities executed at least 200 individuals in the first nine months of 2024, the highest figure in three decades. The kingdom’s international standing was severely damaged by the 2018 killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a US-based Saudi journalist and prominent government critic. Human rights campaigners assert that the Saudi government is utilizing sport to divert attention from long-standing reputational issues. The Saudi government, however, states that its investment in sport is boosting the economy, promoting tourism, and encouraging greater physical activity among its population. According to Fifa guidelines, countries bidding to host the event must commit to respecting human rights. In November, Fifa released its evaluation report for the Saudi bid, awarding it “an average score of 4.2 out of 5,” which is the highest score ever recorded. Fifa claimed “there is a good potential that the tournament could serve as a catalyst for some of the ongoing and future reforms, and contribute to positive human rights outcomes for people in Saudi Arabia and the region that go beyond the scope of the tournament itself.” Last month, however, the campaign group Amnesty International stated that the process to select Saudi Arabia as the 2034 host must be halted unless major human rights reforms are announced. The organization claimed that hosting the tournament there would likely lead to severe and widespread rights violations. The Saudi sports minister has insisted that all individuals are welcome. Alcohol is illegal in Saudi Arabia, and there is no indication that this will change before the World Cup. Punishments for consuming alcohol include fines, prison sentences, and deportation. Hammad Albalawi of the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Sport told Sky earlier this year, externally, “We have hosted over a hundred sporting events, welcoming three million sports fans with no alcohol.” He added, “They have enjoyed their time and discovered what Saudi has to offer – entertainment, art, music, culture and heritage.” Same-sex relations are also illegal in Saudi Arabia, and being transgender is not recognized. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office advises travelers to the country to respect local traditions, customs, laws, and religion “so you do not cause offence.” It states that travelers can face “serious penalties for doing something that might not be illegal in the UK” and should avoid public displays of affection. Failure to carry personal identification can result in a fine or a prison sentence. Speaking to the BBC’s sports editor Dan Roan last year, Saudi Arabia’s sports minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al Faisal stated that the controversy surrounding neighboring Qatar’s treatment of migrant workers before the 2022 World Cup was “not going to be repeated.” He also insisted that “everyone is welcome” at the 2034 event. The host cities are all hundreds of miles apart. The bid includes plans to expand airports, introduce high-speed rail links, and enhance public transport. However, the significant distances between stadiums mean that fans wishing to travel between host cities will likely need to rely on air travel. Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Middle East and approximately nine times the size of the UK. The World Cup is expanding to feature 48 teams from 2026 onwards, an increase from the 32 that competed in Qatar. Fifa indicated that “extensive enhancements to public transport infrastructure are foreseen” within cities, including the launch of the new metro system in Riyadh. Ten fan parks, two per city, are planned. Regarding accommodation for teams, officials, media, and fans, the Fifa bid report suggests there is a “wide variety of good options to cater for all types of tournament stakeholders.” The 2034 tournament might be held in the winter to avoid the country’s extreme summer temperatures, similar to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. In an interview with the BBC, Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz said organizers were “definitely studying” whether it could be staged in the summer. He remarked, “Why not see what the possibilities are to do it in the summer? Whether it is summer or winter it doesn’t matter for us, as long as we make sure that we [deliver] the right atmosphere to host such an event.” Temperatures in Saudi Arabia are at their mildest between October and April. During these months, average daily temperatures in host cities range between 15C and 30C. Between May and September, average daily temperatures range between 27C and 43C in inland areas, and 27C to 38C in coastal areas.