The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) stands not only as the global custodian of the sport but increasingly as a governance body with responsibilities beyond the pitch. In recent years, amid growing awareness of the intersection between sport and human rights, FIFA has attempted to align its operations with global human rights standards. Notably, FIFA’s 2017 Human Rights Policy and the incorporation of Article 3 in its Statutes reflect a commitment to the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs). However, as the 2034 World Cup is set to be hosted by Saudi Arabia—a country widely criticized for systemic human rights abuses—this commitment is facing its most severe test yet.
FIFA’s Human Rights Commitments: Framework and Purpose
FIFA’s human rights framework is centered around four key pillars: (1) Commit and Embed, (2) Identify and Address, (3) Protect and Remedy, and (4) Engage and Communicate. These are intended to ensure that human rights considerations are fully integrated into FIFA’s decision-making processes and operational structures, especially in relation to event hosting.
The policy mandates due diligence processes to identify potential human rights risks, procedures for engaging with civil society stakeholders, and mechanisms to ensure remediation for harms incurred. Specifically, Article 3 of FIFA’s Statutes mandates the organization to respect internationally recognized human rights and to strive to promote the protection of these rights in all its activities.
This framework, if effectively implemented, represents a major shift in global sports governance, acknowledging the moral and legal obligations that come with organizing events in diverse geopolitical contexts.
The Gap Between Policy and Practice: Lessons from Qatar 2022
The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar offered an early stress test for FIFA’s human rights promises. While Qatar made notable infrastructural investments and labor law reforms in the run-up to the tournament, the international community raised alarms about persistent labor abuses, restrictions on free speech, and discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation.
Despite FIFA’s rhetoric on oversight, civil society organizations reported widespread exploitation of migrant workers, many of whom were integral to the stadium and infrastructure developments. These concerns laid bare the disjuncture between FIFA’s human rights policies and their enforcement in practice. The Qatar experience also highlighted FIFA’s limited ability—or willingness—to hold host nations accountable once contracts were signed and construction underway.
Saudi Arabia 2034: Echoes of Concern and Deepening Risks
Saudi Arabia’s successful bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup has triggered alarm bells across the human rights landscape. Although the kingdom’s Vision 2030 framework promises progressive reforms, skeptics argue that many of these measures are superficial, aimed more at image management than structural change.
Core concerns include:
- Restrictions on Freedom of Expression: Critics of the regime, including journalists and human rights defenders, face persecution, imprisonment, and in some cases, death.
- Gender Inequality: Despite some reforms, women continue to face legal and societal discrimination, including limitations on movement and guardianship laws.
- Migrant Workers’ Rights: Much like Qatar, Saudi Arabia’s reliance on foreign labor, coupled with the kafala system (sponsorship-based employment), places workers in precarious and often abusive situations.
- Lack of Transparent Oversight: Civil society engagement in the planning and execution of mega-events is severely limited, further raising the risk of abuses going unchecked.
A coalition of 21 organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, has warned that without enforceable protections, the World Cup could amplify the suffering of vulnerable populations, particularly workers and minorities.
Critiquing FIFA’s Due Diligence Process
FIFA’s due diligence in awarding the 2034 tournament has come under sharp scrutiny. Reports indicate that Saudi Arabia’s bid documentation—particularly the “Bid Book”—presented an overly optimistic and sanitized narrative of its human rights context. Independent assessments commissioned by FIFA, such as the Clifford Chance report, have been criticized for lacking impartiality and transparency, undermining the credibility of the entire evaluation process.
Further concerns surround the Bid Evaluation Report, described by NGOs as a “whitewash” that downplayed serious risks. Critics argue that FIFA failed to follow its own principles, prioritizing commercial partnerships and geopolitical considerations over its declared human rights commitments.
Legal and Ethical Accountability
In 2025, human rights law experts filed a formal complaint alleging that FIFA violated its own statutes by failing to adequately assess the risks associated with awarding the World Cup to Saudi Arabia. This legal challenge could have significant implications for FIFA’s future, exposing the organization to accusations of complicity in human rights violations.
Ethically, FIFA’s decision raises broader questions about the role of international sports bodies in upholding universal norms. If FIFA cannot enforce its own human rights policy in the context of the world’s most-watched sporting event, what message does it send to fans, players, and member associations?
Sports Washing and Reputational Risk
The term sportswashing—using sporting events to rehabilitate or distract from a country’s poor human rights record—is highly relevant to the Saudi case. Hosting a global event like the FIFA World Cup provides enormous soft power benefits. If not managed carefully, the 2034 tournament could serve to legitimize a regime that continues to imprison dissidents, oppress women, and curtail freedoms, all while basking in the prestige of hosting football’s most celebrated tournament.
This reputational risk extends beyond Saudi Arabia to FIFA itself. Should significant abuses occur in the lead-up to or during the World Cup, FIFA’s credibility as a human rights-respecting body could be irreparably damaged.
What Must Be Done: From Rhetoric to Reality
To bridge the gap between commitment and consequence, FIFA must take tangible steps:
- Impose Binding Human Rights Conditions: Host countries must sign enforceable agreements to protect workers’ rights, freedom of expression, and gender equality.
- Independent Oversight Mechanisms: Civil society and international human rights bodies must be empowered to monitor compliance and report abuses throughout the planning and implementation phases.
- Transparency in Evaluation: All bid assessments and impact studies should be made public, with clear justifications for decisions taken.
- Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists: FIFA must ensure that civil society actors, both local and international, can operate freely and safely during the tournament.
These steps are not optional add-ons but prerequisites for FIFA to preserve the integrity of both
The Saudi 2034 World Cup as a Litmus Test
FIFA’s adoption of a human rights framework marks a significant development in the landscape of international sports governance. Yet the true test lies not in policy articulation but in consistent enforcement. The 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia starkly illustrates the dangers of selective implementation, where lofty principles are compromised for political or financial gain.
To maintain its legitimacy, FIFA must rigorously enforce its human rights policies, hold host nations accountable, and demonstrate that football’s global reach does not come at the cost of fundamental human dignity. The eyes of the world will be on Saudi Arabia in 2034—not just to watch football, but to see whether FIFA can live up to the values it claims to represent.
