December 13 – Fans visiting Saudi Arabia for the 2034 World Cup will live in a “bubble” during the tournament and will not see what really goes on behind the scenes, according to a Saudi rights activist living in the UK.
Human rights groups believe migrant workers’ lives will be at risk building stadiums while Saudi laws limiting freedoms for women and LGBTQ+ people have been denounced at the United Nations Human Rights council.
Lina al-Hathloul, a Saudi activist with the London-based rights group ALQST, said fans with tickets for 2034 won’t see the real Saudi Arabia – a criticism also levelled at Qatar in 2022 when supporters were largely kept away from migrant workers.
“Western people will be very safe. They will see a bubble of what Saudi Arabia is,” al-Hathloul said.
Her sister, Loujain al-Hathloul, was jailed for three years after campaigning to end the Saudi ban on women driving that was lifted in 2018.
Saudi Arabia is today “a pure police state,” al-Hathloul claimed, citing the rule of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose close working ties to Gianni Infantino were key to landing the World Cup without a rival bid.
The crown prince “has really managed to create this bubble where people only see entertainment and they don’t see the reality on the ground,” al-Hathloul added. “No one will see tortures in prisons and no one will see executions.”
“You have some changes,” Al-Hathloul said, noting more freedoms for Saudi women to choose what to wear, “but they’re not institutional, they’re not fundamental, and they’re not for everyone.”
Only Norway of FIFA’s 211 member federations opposed how the 2034 decision was made by acclamation on Wednesday. The English Football Association said it had received promises from Saudi officials before giving support.
“They assured us that they are fully committed to providing a safe and welcome environment for all fans,” the English FA said in a statement, “including LGBTQ+ fans.”
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