Giving Saudi Arabia the 2034 World Cup has been a longtime coming. The 2030 World Cup was split across South America, Africa and Europe, yes really, under the banner of it being the ‘centennial cup’. Of course they could have held it all in South America, Uruguay being the original hosts.
In World Cup rules once a continent has hosted the World Cup they can’t hold it again for a certain period. So FIFA decided to hold it in three continents at the same time, thus reducing the available opportunities for 2034 and pretty much guaranteeing Saudi for 2034
I love that people think sports organizations give a single fuck about anything other than money. Muhammad Bonesaw is throwing suitcases of money at the sports industry.
That's concerning for sure. Human rights should never take a back seat in global events like the World Cup. It's important for FIFA to stay accountable and consider these reports seriously; the impact goes beyond just sports.
FIFA follows the money and the reason is simple: they have to compete with the insane privatized corporate climate that is association football today. Nobody is playing for the fame and recognition anymore, it's all about publicity, market value and prize money, and those require funds.
Saudi-Arabia benefits off of that by being able to sportswash their unjust regime, FIFA benefits by being able to hold an event. Qatar was the same deal, nobody gives a crap about football there as one could easily see.
That's what endstage capitalism calls "innovation".
The 2022 Qatar World Cup was built largely by slaves, hundreds of whom died in the process. Nobody held them to account, so why wouldn't they go to MBS's Saudi Arabia?