Norway plans to protest FIFA and abstain from decision giving 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia
FILE - Norwegian soccer official Lise Klaveness speaks during the FIFA congress at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Center in Doha, Qatar, Thursday, March 31, 2022. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, file)[ASSOCIATED PRESS/Hassan Ammar]
GENEVA (AP) — 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. Norway federation president Lise Klaveness says FIFA’s own “guidelines for human rights and due diligence” were not properly followed and so increased the risk of human rights violations. The 211 FIFA member federations will be asked to approve Saudi Arabia as the 2034 World Cup host and award the 2030 edition to a six-nation project led by Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino' walks on stage during the draw for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup soccer tournament, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Rebecca Blackwell