August 20 – Amnesty International has demanded the Dutch FA, the KNVB, and professional clubs take a stance over the hosting of the 2034 World Cup that is set to be awarded to Saudi Arabia later this year.
With a campaign called ‘Imprisoned XI’, the Dutch chapter of the human rights organisation has called on the KNVB and its clubs to position themselves ahead of FIFA’s decision in December and vote against the bid if there are no binding human rights agreements.
Saudi Arabia is the sole bidder for the 2034 tournament after FIFA gave other eligible nations less than a month to contemplate a bid.
Amnesty said it had analysed Saudi Arabia’s bid and concluded that “the human rights plan is seriously flawed.”
Last month, Saudi Arabia presented their plans for the 2034 tournament, but the bid’s human rights strategy, accompanied by an independent context assessment by the law firm Clifford Chance, failed to make firm human rights commitments.
“It is up to FIFA to show that they are serious about their own human rights policy,” said Dagmar Oudshoorn, director of Amnesty International Netherlands. “The bid, as it stands now, should not be put to a vote. Amnesty International also asks the KNVB to urge FIFA to do this.”
The KNVB was among the more critical voices of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the first global finals in the Middle East that attracted major criticism over its labour system and human rights record. However, the Dutch FA have not yet voiced any concern regarding Saudi Arabia’s bid.
At the recent FIFA Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, the Dutch, together with Germany and Belgium, lost their own bid to co-host the 2027 Women’s World Cup, in a vote against Brazil.
“By organising a prestigious sporting event, the country wants to cover up the fact that there is a lot wrong in terms of human rights,” said Amnesty International.
“This is sportswashing. In recent years, Amnesty has documented record-high death penalty figures: between November 2018 and July 2024, 764 people were executed in Saudi Arabia. Amnesty International also reports increasingly higher sentences for criticizing the authorities.”
Contact the writer of this story at samindra.kunti@insideworldfootball