Rights groups seek guarantees as Saudi closes in on 2034 World Cup / Photo: © AFP/File
RIO
-0.3300
The Fort Worth Press - Rights groups seek guarantees as Saudi closes in on 2034 World Cup
USD
-
AED 3.672497
AFN 64.999715
ALL 80.812449
AMD 360.743464
ANG 1.789785
AOA 917.999798
ARS 1540.700198
AUD 1.42441
AWG 1.8
AZN 1.698675
BAM 1.747272
BBD 2.014223
BDT 123.910645
BGN 1.747831
BHD 0.377299
BIF 2998.5
BMD 1
BND 1.28047
BOB 11.855935
BRL 5.3738
BSD 1.000054
BTN 95.138718
BWP 13.795445
BYN 2.941694
BYR 19600
BZD 2.011337
CAD 1.401185
CDF 2314.999825
CHF 0.82752
CLF 0.025072
CLP 989.970526
CNY 6.67025
CNH 6.66753
COP 3150.85
CRC 455.262182
CUC 1
CUP 24.001537
CVE 98.510713
CZK 21.792011
DJF 177.719964
DKK 6.688315
DOP 61.049802
DZD 135.148705
EGP 56.265101
ERN 15
ETB 161.049885
EUR 0.8949
FJD 2.252798
FKP 0.747708
GBP 0.74915
GEL 2.592983
GGP 0.747708
GHS 11.625032
GIP 0.747708
GMD 73.999905
GNF 8799.999818
GTQ 7.644581
GYD 209.560055
HKD 7.84535
HNL 26.999988
HRK 6.742899
HTG 130.986148
HUF 328.497502
IDR 18147.9
ILS 3.084145
IMP 0.747708
INR 95.18725
IQD 1514
IRR 1817007.490697
ISK 122.050027
JEP 0.747708
JMD 158.771424
JOD 0.708961
JPY 157.460975
KES 129.939397
KGS 87.450229
KHR 4075.000245
KMF 441.000377
KPW 899.999961
KRW 1324.080073
KWD 0.31078
KYD 0.833426
KZT 450.973998
LAK 22507.604826
LBP 89550.000009
LKR 332.292546
LRD 170.249882
LSL 16.660206
LTL 2.95274
LVL 0.60489
LYD 6.41502
MAD 9.848496
MDL 17.971064
MGA 4589.999663
MKD 55.101904
MMK 2099.851486
MNT 3598.994658
MOP 8.08144
MRU 40.195167
MUR 47.130213
MVR 15.449966
MWK 1741.000443
MXN 18.551725
MYR 4.0861
MZN 63.910245
NAD 16.660138
NGN 1340.490484
NIO 36.844988
NOK 9.313055
NPR 152.221592
NZD 1.757395
OMR 0.384499
PAB 1.00004
PEN 3.442502
PGK 4.578703
PHP 63.976006
PKR 277.000018
PLN 3.940105
PYG 5764.978626
QAR 3.645
RON 4.784099
RSD 105.160164
RUB 80.798908
RWF 1478
SAR 3.744737
SBD 8.064647
SCR 14.131578
SDG 601.453315
SEK 9.95324
SGD 1.280635
SHP 0.749344
SLE 22.950411
SLL 20969.504398
SOS 571.503045
SRD 37.691972
STD 20697.981008
STN 22
SVC 8.750692
SYP 13001.999685
SZL 16.660106
THB 33.750012
TJS 9.225574
TMT 3.5
TND 3.007497
TOP 2.40776
TRY 49.786598
TTD 6.796771
TWD 32.548901
TZS 2645.152985
UAH 45.657837
UGX 4480.338773
UYU 40.103811
UZS 11970.000157
VES 859.935022
VND 25842.5
VUV 118.791596
WST 2.767791
XAF 587.016073
XAG 0.018509
XAU 0.00024895966
XCD 2.70255
XCG 1.802377
XDR 0.707052
XOF 587.016073
XPF 107.149752
YER 236.150362
ZAR 16.630085
ZMK 9001.206681
ZMW 20.135703
ZWL 321.999592
SSP 5745.299755
MXV 2.09302
- Brewers rout Rays to reach brink of World Series sweep
- Kuwait padel chief hails national showing at Premier Padel Major
- Mbappe dropped by Chinese brands for 'offending national sentiments'
- Britain prepares constrained budget as debt and defence pressures mount
- Kuwait exhibition presents Ukraine’s Islamic heritage and cultural ties
- Valkyries beat Dream to reach brink of WNBA title
- Tech firms track Wall St rally on mixed day for Asian markets
- Benjamin Netanyahu: Israel's longest-serving PM fighting for survival
- Jay-Z to perform at Super Bowl LXI halftime show: NFL
- Kuwait receives invitation to 2026 UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi
Rights groups seek guarantees as Saudi closes in on 2034 World Cup
Rights groups called for "binding commitments" from World Cup host nations after Australia opted against bidding for the 2034 World Cup on Tuesday, paving the way for Saudi Arabia to host the event.
Football Australia pulled its bid on the October 31 deadline, after the Asian Football Confederation threw its weight behind the Saudi bid.
World governing body FIFA had invited bids from the Asia and Oceania regions for the rotating World Cup hosting rights after naming Morocco, Spain and Portugal as joint hosts for 2030.
Saudi Arabia's ambition to stage the 2034 tournament is the latest step in a campaign to turn the kingdom into a global sports powerhouse.
Riyadh's willingness to fund high-profile sporting events has drawn accusations that it is "sportswashing" its human rights record.
Neighbouring Qatar, which last year hosted the first World Cup in the Middle East, was criticised over its rights record and its treatment of migrant workers.
The Sport and Rights Alliance, a coalition of organisations including human rights groups and anti-corruption bodies, issued a statement on Tuesday saying a lack of competition to host World Cups risked undermining FIFA's leverage.
It said it was vital for the governing body to take the lead and secure binding human rights guarantees from bidders.
"FIFA must now make clear how it expects hosts to comply with its human rights policies," said Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International's head of economic and social justice.
"It must also be prepared to halt the bidding process if serious human rights risks are not credibly addressed.
"The best chance for FIFA to obtain binding guarantees to protect workers' rights, ensure freedom of expression and prevent discrimination linked to the World Cup is during the host selection process -- not after the hosts have been confirmed and tournament preparation has begun."
Human Rights Watch director of global initiatives Minky Worden said: "Given the enormous scale of the World Cup, there are far-reaching human rights risks to consider with all bids to host this tournament, as well as opportunities for change that should not be missed.
"FIFA's human rights policy must not be reduced to a paper exercise when it comes to choosing the host of the world's most-watched sporting event."
The 2026 World Cup will take place in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
N.Patterson--TFWP
