FIFA Broke Own Human Rights Rules for World Cup Hosts
www.hrw.org
Global soccer governing body FIFA has broken its own human rights rules in announcing a plan for hosting the next two men’s World Cups that effectively eliminates bidding and human rights due diligence.

On October 4, FIFA announced that the 2030 World Cup will take place in Morocco, Portugal, and Spain with games in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay. Each of these countries has serious human rights violations. In September, the Spanish Football Federation president, Luis Rubiales, was forced to step down after kissing Jenni Hermoso, a Spanish football player and 2023 Women’s World Cup champion without her consent. Within hours after FIFA published its arrangements for the 2030 World Cup, Saudi Arabia announced its ambitions to host the 2034 World Cup.

“Barely a year after the human rights catastrophes of the 2022 Qatar World Cup, FIFA has failed to learn the lesson that awarding multi-billion dollar events without due diligence and transparency can risk corruption and major human rights abuses,” said Minky Worden, director of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch. “The possibility that FIFA could award Saudi Arabia the 2034 World Cup despite its appalling human rights record and closed door to any monitoring exposes FIFA’s commitments to human rights as a sham.”