FIFA has revealed that Saudi Arabia will host the 2034 men’s World Cup, marking a return of the world’s most significant football tournament to the Middle East.

The bidding phase raised numerous issues related to human rights, labor conditions, and LGBTQ+ policies. Moreover, hosting a football tournament in a desert petrostate comes with substantial environmental concerns, requiring extensive construction of new stadiums and airports, while also reflecting the country’s aspirations to improve its public image through greenwashing.

The Saudi proposal showcased a commitment to “environmental sustainability,” claiming that the nation is “transforming its landscape” with environmental protection as a foundational element. While this sounds commendable on paper, one must consider the actual implications.

The tournament is set to occur in five cities: Riyadh, Jeddah, Al Khobar, Abha, and the yet-to-be-constructed mega project, Neom. Out of the projected 15 stadiums, 11 are in various stages of construction or yet to be established. Although the designs for these venues are striking, they bring significant environmental challenges that have not been adequately addressed.

In Riyadh, a new facility called the Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Stadium will showcase features such as iridescent glass, LED displays, solar panels, and “perforated shimmering metal”. The Saudi authorities contend that this will foster a futuristic vibe.

On the other hand, the Neom stadium is expected to operate entirely on renewable energy, primarily sourced from wind and solar power. This ambitious initiative aligns theoretically with a broader national goal for 50% of energy consumption to come from renewable sources by 2030. However, currently, renewable sources make up less than 1% of Saudi Arabia’s electricity grid, making such a rapid shift highly unlikely.

The newly planned Aramco Stadium in Al Khobar is named after the state-owned oil company, the largest global oil producer. The partnership between FIFA and Aramco has ignited controversy and prompted recent protests. In October, over 100 women’s professional football players urged FIFA to sever ties with Aramco, deeming it a “stab in the back”.

The deep ties between major oil companies and football challenge the notion that sustainability is central to FIFA’s mission and Saudi Arabia’s ambition for “environmental stewardship”.

National Transportation Expansion

Currently, Saudi Arabia operates 16 international and 13 domestic airports, along with private jet terminals across the host cities. However, these infrastructures are set to be expanded for the World Cup.

For instance, Jeddah’s main airport plans to boost its capacity from 43 million to 90 million passengers annually, while Abha’s airport aims to grow from 1 million to 10 million. Moreover, the new Neom International Airport is planned to accommodate 20 million passengers.

This substantial expansion is likely to lead to an increase in carbon emissions, raising questions about the necessity of such development merely for sports events. Is it truly essential to construct new airports for tournaments scheduled every few years? This concern grows when considering that other nations, like the US, Canada, and Mexico, already have much of the required infrastructure for the upcoming 2026 tournament.

Many of these new stadiums may risk becoming underused, as planned capacities frequently exceed 45,000, which greatly surpasses the average attendance for any team in the Saudi Pro League throughout the 2024-25 season.

Nonetheless, there are hopeful signs that Saudi Arabia might improve public transport in the host cities, including electric or hydrogen-powered bus and rail options.

The World Cup proposal also envisions the creation of pedestrian walkways and the promotion of bike and e-scooter rentals near the stadiums. All “fan festivals,” designed for fans to gather, are planned to be within walking distance from hotels.

Yet, historical studies indicate that Saudis are generally less prone to cycling and walking than people in other countries. This raises concerns about the long-term viability of such initiatives. If these pathways or bike routes are minimally used after the tournament, the environmental advantages of creating this infrastructure may be called into question.

Energy Generation

In line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 development plan, the nation aims to utilize the World Cup as an opportunity to pivot towards renewable energy sources.

Stadiums are expected to be designed and constructed using locally sourced materials and sustainable energy systems. For example, the South Riyadh Stadium will employ native plant species and integrate rainwater harvesting technologies.

However, the bid documentation lacks detailed explanations of how the yet-to-be-constructed transportation services and venue infrastructures will effectively incorporate renewable energy, or how this undertaking will decrease the country’s reliance on oil and gas.

Recently, the Saudi government has actively sought to diversify its economy beyond oil, with interests in other sectors such as mining. Yet, there appears to be a lack of commitment to pursuing substantial investments in renewable technologies. The actions taken by Saudi Arabia at the recent Cop29 climate summit, where it played a pivotal role in obstructing initiatives to shift away from fossil fuels, raise skepticism regarding its true intentions.

Moreover, previous World Cups (notably Qatar 2022) made lofty promises about the effective repurposing of stadiums and the ongoing support of energy-efficient technologies. However, many of those commitments have frequently remained unfulfilled.

Hosting the World Cup in Saudi Arabia amidst a climate crisis presents significant environmental risks associated with stadium construction, transportation expansions, and increased energy consumption. These factors have not been sufficiently addressed in the country’s plans. Additionally, concerns regarding sponsorship relationships and greenwashing could hinder aspirations to become a global leader in environmental sustainability.

Matthew Hutchinson, Lecturer in Sport Business Management, Keele University and Seth I. Kirby, Senior Lecturer in Sport and Leisure Management, Nottingham Trent University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.