Norway to protest Saudi Arabia’s 2034 FIFA World Cup bid

The Norwegian Football Federation has announced its intention to abstain from voting on Saudi Arabia’s 2034 FIFA World Cup bid.

The federation expressed concerns about FIFA’s lack of commitment to human rights protections in the host country.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Norwegian Football Federation president Lise Klaveness criticised FIFA’s decision-making process, stating, “FIFA’s own guidelines for human rights and due diligence have not been adequately integrated into the process, increasing the risk of human rights violations.”

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Klaveness further asserted that Wednesday’s vote is merely a formality, as the decision to award the 2030 and 2034 World Cups to Spain, Portugal, Morocco, and Saudi Arabia, respectively, has already been made. She argued that FIFA’s approach to the bidding process undermines democratic principles and transparency.

The Norwegian Football Federation’s stance highlights growing concerns about the potential human rights implications of hosting major sporting events in countries with questionable human rights records.