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FIFA World Championship to Saudi Arabia – despite criticism

Despite the criticism, the International Football Federation (Fifa) voted as expected in favour of the World Championship in Spain, Portugal and Morocco 2030 and the World Championship 2034 in Saudi Arabia.

» Published: 11 December 2024

FIFA World Championship to Saudi Arabia – despite criticism
Photo: Martin Meissner/AP/TT

The men's championships were adopted by acclamation, without a formal vote, at the digital extraordinary congress.

The voters were asked to applaud in front of their screens.

The congress's decision is clear and loud, said Fifa's president Gianni Infantino from the organization's headquarters in Zurich.

The criticism has been about Saudi Arabia, a country criticized for lacking human rights and freedoms, and about how the process of selecting candidates has been carried out. There were no opposing candidates for any of the championships.

Norway said before the vote that they would abstain in protest against the allocation process, which they believe goes against Fifa's own reforms.

The allocation process has been staggering, said Lise Klaveness, president of the Norwegian Football Association.

Swedish yes

On the other hand, the Swedish Football Association reported at the end of November that they intended to vote yes to the World Championship in Saudi Arabia if nothing unexpected came up in Fifa's evaluation report before the congress.

I have received the answers I requested from Saudi Arabia, said president Fredrik Reinfeldt.

The Swedish stance has been criticized, among others by national team star Kosovare Asllani, who said in connection with the latest national team gathering that she would have liked to see a Swedish blank vote.

Firstly, it's very strange that there's only one country to vote for. Then we have different opinions about where it should be held, said Asllani.

"A slap in the face"

The Players' Association also strongly criticizes the association's stance towards Saudi Arabia.

"A slap in the face to all who have fought for human rights and freedoms", writes general secretary Magnus Erlingmark on the association's website.

Fredrik Reinfeldt defends the association's stance after, together with the Nordic associations, having had a meeting with the Saudis.

I met the Saudi delegation and said that I understand that we have differences in views on governance and partly also on human rights, said Reinfeldt.

We have particularly emphasized the importance of them respecting same-sex couples' right to come and participate in the festivities. In all these questions, Saudi Arabia answered that they will respect them.

Reinfeldt said that "these questions have been extremely important" to him.

We have great respect for those who have been worried. We base our yes on what Saudi Arabia has answered on the questions I just mentioned. It concerns both the 2030 and 2034 World Championships.

Facts: World Championship 2030 and 2034

TT

Saudi Arabia was the only candidate for the 2034 World Championship. Co-hosts Spain, Portugal, and Morocco were the only candidates for the 2030 World Championship. The first three matches will then be played in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay in South America. This is to commemorate that it has been 100 years since the first World Championship was held in Uruguay (1930).

It is not yet clear where the final will be played. It is between Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, Camp Nou in Barcelona, and Grand Stade Hassan II in Casablanca.

The 2034 World Championship final will be played at King Salman International Stadium in Riyadh.

There were no opposing candidates for the hosting of either the 2030 or 2034 World Championships.

The process surrounding how it ended up with only one candidate per championship has been criticized.

In October last year, Fifa's governing council announced that only Spain, Portugal, and Morocco would apply for the 2030 World Championship, and that three matches would be played in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay in South America. This is because it has been 100 years since the first World Championship was played in Uruguay.

Thus, this championship will be decided on three continents, and due to a rotation principle, this decision meant that only countries from Asia or Oceania could apply for the 2034 World Championship.

Just 81 minutes after Fifa's announcement, Saudi Arabia expressed its interest. Potential opposing candidates had three weeks to put together a bid, but Australia quickly withdrew.

Australia has been part of the Asian Football Confederation since 2005, after leaving the Oceania Football Confederation.

The 2026 World Championship will be played in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, which are part of the North and Central American and Caribbean Football Confederation.

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By TTThis article has been altered and translated by Sweden Herald

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