FIFA receives complaint over human rights abuse in Saudi Arabia with international lawyers claiming no steps of improvement being taken by 2034 World Cup host nation

FIFA is under fresh scrutiny after a formal complaint was lodged against the organisation regarding the awarding of the 2034 World Cup to the Middle East nation. The legal filing, submitted through FIFA’s official grievance submission platform, was spearheaded by three legal experts with prior experience in governance and international law: Mark Pieth, a former adviser on anti-corruption to football's governing body; Swiss attorney Stefan Wehrenberg and British barrister Rodney Dixon.

The trio alleges that their attempts to offer assistance and guidance to FIFA on ensuring human rights compliance in Saudi Arabia. Their complaint outlines the belief that FIFA failed to take adequate steps to vet the country’s readiness or willingness to meet human rights standards. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has drawn criticism for his close association with Saudi Arabia’s leadership, particularly Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This connection has grown increasingly visible since before the 2018 World Cup, with Infantino now regularly seen aligning FIFA’s interests with those of the Saudi regime.

As host of the 2034 tournament, Saudi Arabia is already embarking on an ambitious infrastructure overhaul. The scope of development required far exceeds the demands of previous editions due to the tournament’s expanded format, which includes more teams and fixtures than ever before. Initial plans for stadiums and supporting infrastructure reportedly involve even more elaborate designs than those used in Qatar during the 2022 World Cup. However, similar to Qatar, the use of migrant labour and working conditions have once again emerged as central concerns in light of recent reports from human rights organisations.

"As highlighted in this complaint, widespread human rights abuses continue to be perpetrated in Saudi Arabia, and no steps are being taken by FIFA to address these in the buildup to the World Cup. Instead, it appears it is business as usual with no changes to be made," the lawyers state in a 30-page document.

"Saudi Arabia has been chosen as the next host country despite its appalling human rights record, including violations relating to freedom of expression, arbitrary arrest, detention and mistreatment, migrants' rights and women's rights," the complaint continued.

The complaint comes just days after Human Rights Watch published a report outlining continued mistreatment of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia, some of whom are believed to be involved in early-stage World Cup construction efforts. In response to that report, FIFA issued a statement reaffirming its "steadfast commitment" to promoting human rights within the scope of its activities. Nonetheless, the legal complaint submitted Thursday pushes FIFA to go further. The filing concludes by urging the organization to act decisively, stating that there is still a real chance for reforms in Saudi Arabia - if FIFA actively enforces its own stated human rights obligations.