Two United States senators have called on Fifa to reconsider its decision to award the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia, citing concerns over the kingdom's human rights record. Democratic senators Ron Wyden of Oregon and Dick Durbin of Illinois penned a letter to Fifa president Gianni Infantino, urging him to "seek out a host country with a record of upholding human rights."

Saudi Arabia has been the sole candidate for the 2034 tournament since Fifa unexpectedly opened a fast-track nomination process in October last year. The process has been widely viewed as tailored to secure Saudi Arabia's bid, despite the need to construct 15 new stadiums, a move that could replicate labor rights issues seen in Qatar prior to the 2022 World Cup.

On December 11, over 200 Fifa member federations are expected to endorse Saudi Arabia's bid. However, Wyden and Durbin argue that approving the bid would jeopardize workers, athletes, tourists, and members of the press, and would contravene Fifa's own human rights policies.

The senators' letter highlighted Saudi Arabia's ongoing issues, including the torture of dissidents, extrajudicial killings, discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community, the oppression of women and religious minorities, and the exploitation of foreign workers. These concerns were also raised by United Nations members at the Human Rights Council in January.

In response to these criticisms, Saudi officials have pointed to reforms benefiting women and broader societal modernization efforts under the Vision 2030 program, spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Infantino has cultivated a close relationship with the crown prince, as evidenced by Fifa's World Cup sponsorship deal with Saudi state oil firm Aramco in April.

Fifa's bid rules mandate an assessment of human rights risks, but the analysis by law firm Clifford Chance, published in July, was criticized for lacking independence. The report committed Saudi Arabia to collaborating with the UN-backed International Labor Organization but did not involve global rights experts, who face restricted access to the country.

The senators expressed further concern that Saudi Arabia has not outlined how it will uphold labor protections, press freedoms, and non-discrimination standards. They urged Fifa to thoroughly re-evaluate Saudi Arabia's bid before December and select a host country that respects human rights.

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