Saudi Arabia has officially been named the host of the 2034 men’s World Cup, a decision announced by FIFA in December. This is an important moment for the Kingdom, which is now set to reveal its potential to the world. Even the whole of America is clamoring for them to grow the tournament by adding more teams, up to 64. This audacious leap of faith would dramatically raise its international profile.
As Saudi Arabia prepares for this historic tournament, it has come under intense criticism from global human rights groups. Critics have called the World Cup bid ‘sportswashing,’ designed to distract from the country’s human rights history. Saudi Arabia has poured billions into sports in recent years. In return, it has effectively welcomed more than 100 international events with great success.
Infrastructure and Attendance Preparations
The Kingdom has taken great pride in promoting its new robust infrastructure, built largely for the influx of Islamic pilgrims. This year, over four million pilgrims performed Umrah to Mecca specifically during Ramadan. Furthermore, five million more come for the hajj pilgrimage, proving the nation’s ability to contain and direct massive crowds.
In order to host the expanded World Cup, Saudi Arabia has pledged to construct or renovate 15 stadiums at a cost of around $7 billion by 2032. Undoubtedly, it will be the hands of migrant labor that ultimately build these permanent sites, too. Without this swift workforce, this country’s rapid development efforts would not have been possible.
“Every incident we take seriously, we file an investigation, we look what went wrong,” – the minister.
While there are many victories to celebrate in our infrastructure work, the scars run deep. That changed last week when the recent death of a worker at the Aramco Stadium construction site in Al Khobar sounded alarms. This incident followed 7 million plus construction hours without an incident. Today, it has ignited a broader examination of labor practices within the Kingdom.
Commitment to Labor Reforms
In light of this continued criticism, Saudi Arabia has taken significant steps to reform its labor laws. In 2021, a landmark Labour Reform Act ended the kafala system. This legislative shift removed the chains of bondage linking migrant workers to an employer, increasing their mobility and variety of jobs available to them.
The country is a member of the International Labour Organisation, evidencing its adherence to upholding international standards for labor.
“We’re ready, or we will be ready, inshallah (God willing). If that’s a decision that FIFA takes and thinks that that’s a good decision for everyone, then we’re more than happy to deliver on it,” – Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal.
This announcement is another positive sign of Saudi Arabia’s flexibility and commitment to improve its readiness as the tournament gets closer.
Alcohol Ban and Cultural Considerations
While preparing for the World Cup, Saudi Arabia maintains its strict ban on alcohol, aligning with cultural and religious practices that prohibit it for observant Muslims. The country’s goal has been to foster an atmosphere in keeping with its customs while welcoming the millions of international tourists.
Furthermore, by hosting this grand event, Saudi Arabia is provided with the opportunity to display its hospitality and cultural heritage to the rest of the world. Maintaining this art form’s cherished tradition while catering to the tastes of increasingly global audiences is a big struggle.
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