Two weeks ago, late on a Friday evening, FIFA released its evaluations for both the 2030 and 2034 World Cup bids. It awarded Saudi Arabia ’s bid a score of 4.2 (out of five) — the highest in the organisation’s history, citing “a unique, innovative and ambitious vision for the ‘next century’ of FIFA World Cups”.

Norway's soccer federation plans to abstain from giving its approval when Saudi Arabia is confirmed Wednesday as the 2034 World Cup host, saying FIFA has done too little to protect human rights around the tournament.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is poised to announce Saudi Arabia as the hosts of the 2034 World Cup, despite numerous concerns about the Kingdom's human rights record and sportswashing intentions

The controversial selection process has drawn criticism. A bidding window truncated by FIFA, world football’s governing body, effectively left Saudi without a challenger and, just as with its neighbour Qatar in 2022, human-rights campaigners are already questioning the Gulf nation’s suitability to host football’s greatest spectacle.

FIFA is set to confirm the hosts of the 2030 and 2034 men's World Cups on Wednesday, with a three-continent, six-nation bid led by Morocco, Spain and Portugal to be awarded the former and the latter going to Saudi Arabia.

Why selected: Host of the tournament final and slated to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, MetLife Stadium is a key venue for soccer in the U.S. Home to the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Jets, it is also a hub for NFL enthusiasts.

FIFA’s choice to award Saudi Arabia the 2034 World Cup is an unforgivable betrayal of basic human rights that risks migrant workers’ lives. It deserves a red card.

Norway’s soccer federation plans to abstain from giving its approval when Saudi Arabia is confirmed Wednesday as the 2034 World Cup host, saying FIFA has done too little to protect human rights around the tournament.