Saudi Arabia is proud to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup

 Thursday, December 12, 2024

Islamabad (Point News Today / Pakistan Point News - DW News - 12th December 2024) After the announcement made by the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) on Wednesday, December 11, that Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 World Cup tournament, the atmosphere of Riyadh was lit up with fireworks and drones depicting the magnificent golden World Cup trophy and the colorful lights in the shape of the trophy began to shine in the sky.

Although this news should hardly have been a big surprise to anyone, as Saudi Arabia had informed FIFA officials of its nomination as the only candidate last year. Now, in the form of a formal decision to host, Saudi officials have celebrated the announcement and called it a source of pride for their country.

Criticism from Amnesty International

Many organizations and groups active in the protection of human rights, including Amnesty International, immediately condemned FIFA’s decision, saying, “This is a very dangerous moment.”

Human rights groups have raised concerns about the dangers facing construction workers in Saudi Arabia.

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Such external criticism has prompted the Arab state to do everything it can to establish itself as a sporting powerhouse by hosting high-profile tennis tournaments, Formula One racing and boxing matches on Saudi soil.

In a celebratory atmosphere on the streets of Riyadh on Wednesday, Saudis were showing off their country's prowess in a decision to ignore human rights concerns and show their country is well-suited for sports.

"Welcome to the world 2034" was written in Arabic on the side of a Riyadh skyscraper, while street lamp posters with swords and the green Saudi flag hung on the city's busy Tahlia Street.

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Saudis' enthusiasm

"I dreamed of participating in the World Cup. But there were obstacles of an institutional nature. Now, with the decision to host the World Cup in Saudi Arabia, this dream has come true," Abdulrahman Al-Shehri, a 44-year-old civil servant, told AFP.

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It wasn't long ago that such a dream seemed far-fetched, said Khalid Al-Azza, 35. "I plan to watch most of the matches in the stadium. The tournament will now be closer to home." "Nothing is impossible for Saudi Arabia now," said Khalid Al-Azza.

Sports' place in Vision 2030

Sports are a key component of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's reform agenda, Vision 2030.

The main goal of Mohammed bin Salman's agenda is to diversify the economy of the world's largest crude oil exporter.

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The Saudi leader is aware that he will have to improve the image of his society, which is generally considered a society of prohibitions, to attract tourists and investors.

Only by presenting a soft image of this hard-line society can the Saudi crown prince be able to attract foreign tourists and investors to Saudi Arabia to boost the economy. With this goal in mind, he wants to welcome foreigners as much as possible.

Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in a statement to the state news agency on Wednesday, stressed that the Saudi kingdom is “determined to contribute effectively to promoting the game of football around the world and spreading messages of love, peace and tolerance.”

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“Hosting the 2034 FIFA World Cup is an important opportunity to highlight the kingdom’s continued progress in its reform efforts,” the Saudi Press Agency added.

In a message broadcast on the Saudi state-run Al-Ikhbariya channel, Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal said that Saudi Arabia is “opening up to the world” and can help develop football globally.

“Working with FIFA and all member associations, we want to share this journey, create new opportunities for growth and reach new audiences in new ways,” he said.

Challenges of World Cup preparations

There is no doubt that preparing for a tournament with 48 teams is a heavy package. The document received by Saudi Arabia regarding the hosting of the 2034 World Cup states that the kingdom will need 14 “all-seater stadiums”, each of which must have a seating capacity of at least 40,000 people.

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It should be noted that Saudi Arabia currently has only two stadiums, the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah and the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh.

A Saudi citizen, Ziad bin Naheed, 48, said that he expected that hosting the 2034 World Cup would be a more difficult process for Saudi Arabia than for neighboring Qatar, the host of the 2022 World Cup, but that Saudi leaders are capable of meeting the challenge.

“We are not just talking about the World Cup. We are also talking about hosting Expo 2030. "We are also talking about hosting other global sports events. All of this is a matter of pride for us."