In recent years, Saudi Arabia has made significant progress in becoming a key player on the world sporting stage, hosting several international sporting events. As the kingdom bids to host the 2034 World Cup, questions are being raised as to whether or not it has the experience, infrastructure, and cultural readiness to deal with an occasion of such magnitude. Despite football’s widespread popularity, attendance at Saudi Pro League matches remains relatively low.
This season, the average crowd size is approximately 8,470, with some games drawing fewer than 1,000 spectators. This highlights a gap between the enthusiasm for the sport and actual engagement at live events. While the country has shown a keen interest in sporting activities, its lack of World Cup experience raises significant concerns about its fitness to host one of the world’s biggest sporting events.
Limited Experience in Hosting Major Sporting Events
One of the primary elements harming Saudi Arabia’s FIFA World Cup bid is the lack of experience in hosting the main sporting events. They have organized several international sports tournaments such as the Saudi Cup in horse racing, the Saudi International Golf Tournament, and other activities. However, none of these examine the size, complexity, and international interest of the FIFA World Cup.
For example, during the 2020/21 season, clubs in the Saudi Premier League reported an average loss of SAR 23.72 million. In the rankings, Saudi Arabia lacks experience in hosting primary global football tournaments. Without this historical foundation, Saudi Arabia’s capacity to meet the high standards required for the FIFA World Cup is questionable.
Unproven Ability to Manage the Complexity of a World Cup
Hosting a FIFA World Cup involves not only managing a football tournament but also overseeing a massive international event that attracts millions of fans, media personnel, and participants from all over the world. It is not just about building stadiums; it’s about having the logistical capacity to ensure smooth transportation, safety, hospitality, and media coverage for the entire duration of the tournament.
This requires years of experience, careful planning, and coordination among various sectors such as government, law enforcement, and tourism. Saudi Arabia, by contrast, lacks the extensive experience of hosting large-scale football events, making it unclear if the nation can handle the logistical demands of the World Cup.
Limited Track Record in International Sports Events
Saudi Arabia’s web hosting of global broadcast activities has recently started and although the kingdom has hosted various activities such as Formula E races, boxing matches, and WWE wrestling activities, they are not on the same scale as the FIFA World Cup. The FIFA World Cup is the pinnacle of world football and the nations that host it should have a sample documentary with songs on how to effectively organize and execute major events around the world. There has been no similar increase in Saudi Arabia, raising doubts about the dominion’s readiness for the logistically demanding situations of the World Cup.
Cultural and Social Barriers
The FIFA World Cup is not always just about football; it is a cultural event that brings together people from many different backgrounds, with exclusive customs, traditions, and expectations. As Saudi Arabia seeks to modernize its society through Vision 2030, huge cultural and social obstacles remain.
The kingdom’s conservative legal guidelines, particularly regarding girls’ rights and personal freedoms, should cause problems during the World Cup. For example, questions have been raised about how Saudi Arabia’s legal guidelines on alcohol, public dress codes, and gender segregation for global transport could be managed. The World Cup draws diverse crowds who embrace a degree of freedom of expression, and it is uncertain how the kingdom will adapt to these expectations.
Human Rights Concerns
International attention could certainly focus on Saudi Arabia’s human rights record if the World Cup were to take place. The nation has faced complaints over its regulations on free speech, gender equality, and the treatment of migrants. These issues have already been highlighted in Qatar’s bid for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, where the strain on migrant workers has become a primary international concern. Saudi Arabia has a score of 3.9 out of 10, reflecting that many individuals remain vulnerable to arbitrary arrest, torture, forced disappearances, and extrajudicial killings.
Saudi Arabia’s labour policies, especially regarding migrant people involved in the creation and development of infrastructure, are under similar scrutiny. Hosting the World Cup by building or upgrading stadiums, motels, transport networks, and various centres can mediate global interest in harsh working conditions.
Comparison with other Applicants
In the race to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, Saudi Arabia may face competition from international locations with extra enormous World Cup web hosting. For example, Australia, which co-hosted the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, has established itself as a capable host of global broadcast events. Nations such as South Korea or joint bids from other areas may also emerge as competition, with the advantage of either a stronger footballing tradition or greater recent indulgence in organizing large-scale activities.
Compared to these nations, Saudi Arabia’s loss of joy stands out. FIFA has a history of awarding World Cup hosting rights to international venues with proven organizational capabilities and a track record of successfully managing international events.
Global Soccer Culture
Soccer is more than just a sport; it is by far a cultural phenomenon that unites people from all corners of the arena. Successful World Cup hosts are often countries where football is deeply embedded in the national identity, with passionate fan bases, strong domestic leagues, and records in top-level competitions. The culture gap is significant because hosting the World Cup on the web is not just about logistics; approximately develops an environment that resonates with soccer enthusiasts worldwide.
Conclusion
Saudi Arabia has impressive plans to transform itself into a primary player at the global sporting level. However, its lack of experience from the FIFA World Cup and similar global soccer events raises serious concerns about its ability to host the event in 2034. From logistical challenges to cultural obstacles, they will have to triumph over huge odds. Especially if they are to prove the capability of handling the world’s most prestigious football event. Without a stronger track record in handling such tournaments and addressing human rights issues, Saudi Arabia’s World Cup bid remains fraught with uncertainty.
