Norway to Protest FIFA’s Decision to Award 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia

Norway’s football federation has announced its intention to abstain from supporting the confirmation of Saudi Arabia as the host for the 2034 World Cup, citing concerns over human rights protections. This move comes ahead of Wednesday’s online meeting where FIFA’s 211 member federations are expected to approve the decision.

Lise Klaveness, president of the Norwegian Football Federation (NFF), criticized FIFA for failing to adequately integrate human rights considerations into the World Cup hosting process. “FIFA’s own guidelines for human rights and due diligence have not been sufficiently enforced, increasing the risk of human rights violations,” Klaveness stated on Tuesday.

The upcoming vote is expected to formalize the award of the 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia, as well as confirm the 2030 World Cup hosts, a joint bid from Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. The decision to award both World Cups had already been made, with Wednesday’s vote seen as a procedural formality.

Klaveness also expressed dissatisfaction with the process, noting that FIFA’s approach — with only one bid for each tournament and minimal external scrutiny — undermines the principles of transparent and accountable governance. She also highlighted FIFA’s increasing financial and political ties to Saudi Arabia, which have raised further concerns about the integrity of the bidding process.