Hammad Albalawi, the leader of Saudi Arabia's 2034 World Cup bid, expressed that his nation warmly welcomes all visitors, including LGBTQ individuals, as they vie to host the 48-team tournament. The global governing body, FIFA, restricted the 2034 competition to bidders from the Asian and Oceania confederations, as Morocco, Portugal, and Spain are set to co-host the 2030 event. The official hosts are expected to be named at the FIFA Congress on December 11, and Saudi Arabia's bid is highly likely to succeed due to the lack of other expressions of interest before FIFA's deadline last year.
"You will be respected," Albalawi assured Sky Sports when questioned about LGBTQ fans visiting the country. "You will be welcomed in Saudi Arabia, as that respect and welcome extends to everyone from around the world." He emphasized the Kingdom's respect for the privacy of all guests and highlighted the millions of visitors and hundreds of sporting events hosted in recent years, attended by over three million fans who enjoyed their experiences.
Albalawi encouraged people to educate themselves about the Kingdom by visiting. "They will find hospitable Saudis. We would love to receive all of our guests," he said. In May 2023, Saudi's government-run tourism website stated in a general information section for LGBT visitors, "We ask that visitors respect our culture and traditions and follow our laws as they would when visiting any other country in the world." It also noted, "Like other governments around the world, visitors are not required to disclose their personal information, and we will respect visitors' right to privacy."
The Saudis have made significant investments in high-profile sports such as soccer, Formula One, boxing, and golf in recent years, leading critics, including Amnesty International, to accuse the kingdom of "sportswashing" its record. Albalawi refuted these accusations and reiterated the Kingdom's dedication to Vision 2030 while speaking with both local and international media.
"We're not doing this to make headlines; we're doing this for our people," Albalawi stated. "We are investing to ensure that Saudis live longer and happier lives, and that's something we're very proud of." Vision 2030, launched in 2016 by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the driving force behind recent reforms, aims to diversify the country's oil-reliant economy by boosting tourism and enhancing urban life through cultural, heritage events, and sports.
