The FIFA World Cup is the most watched sporting event in the world, and has enormous social, political and economic impacts that go beyond the borders of the green rectangle. But the world championship has always been surrounded by controversy and scandals related to human rights, according to a new report by Amnesty International.
In December 2024, 211 FIFA member associations will vote on choosing the host countries for the 2030 and 2034 World Cups.
Morocco, Portugal and Spain are competing to host the 2030 edition, while the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is seeking to host the next edition in 2034.
Offers are required to meet strict criteria that ensure the protection of workers’ rights, the fight against discrimination, the right to housing, the protection of freedom of expression, and other basic humanitarian principles.
In its report, Amnesty International issued an assessment of the human rights plans submitted by competing countries, comparing them with FIFA requirements and a comprehensive risk assessment prepared by the organization in June 2024.
The report indicated that the offers submitted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain did not sufficiently demonstrate how they met the human rights standards set by FIFA.
The report finds that while the need for a more credible human rights strategy for the 2030 edition is clear, the risks associated with organizing the tournament in Saudi Arabia are considered so severe that the organization called on FIFA to suspend the voting process to host the 2034 World Cup until fundamental reforms are implemented in the Kingdom.
Choosing which countries will host the FIFA World Cup is one of the most important decisions that can be made by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA).
Hundreds of thousands of workers participate in organizing each edition of the tournament, while more than a million fans travel across borders to attend the matches, and billions more follow the event on television or the Internet.
Huge sums of money are also being spent on major infrastructure projects. Host countries gain great global visibility and reputation, while FIFA’s revenues reach huge numbers, with revenues from the 2026 World Cup expected to exceed $11 billion, according to Amnesty.
