One thing missing from the 2034 World Cup

Excitement for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada is still building but preparations are already underway for the 2034 tournament in Saudi Arabia.

Back in December FIFA confirmed the controversial decision to award Saudi Arabia hosting rights to the 2034 World Cup. With no other viable bids for the tournament, the Saudi proposal was approved by an ‘acclamation’ as member nations clapped along on a videocall.

The nation’s human rights record will be analysed in great detail in the lead-up to the tournament but Saudi authorities have faced questioning of a different nature this week. Namely, will alcohol be allowed at the tournament?

As a majority Muslim country alcohol is not currently permitted in Saudi Arabia and Prince Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud indicated that it’s unlikely to change for the tournament.

“At the moment, we don’t allow alcohol,” Prince Khalid said on an interview with LBC. “Plenty of fun can be had without alcohol - it’s not 100% necessary and if you want to drink after you leave, you’re welcome to, but at the moment we don’t have alcohol.”

Prince Khalid was then pressed on whether there could be some exceptions for foreigners in designated hotels. That was an option offered by Qatar in hosting the 2022 World Cup. However Prince Khalid made clear that he envisions no change in the drink status, saying: “No, there is no alcohol at all.”

“Rather like our weather, it’s a dry country,” he continued. “Everyone has their own culture. We’re happy to accommodate people within the boundaries of our culture but we don’t want to change our culture for someone else.”

The ban on alcohol will be an issue for some fans contemplating a trip to the Gulf state in 2034 but there are bigger concerns at play. Same-sex relations are prohibited in Saudi Arabia, while transgender citizens are offered no protections in Saudi law. Saudi Arabia has spent heavily on sports in recent years in a bid to change perceptions of the oil-rich nation and many have accused leaders of engaging in sportswashing to distract from its human rights record.

Amnesty International reports that Saudi authorities had targeted citizens for “peacefully exercising their rights to freedom of expression or association, and some were sentenced to lengthy prison terms or death following grossly unfair trials.”

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