A formality. Nothing more, nothing less. FIFA must award this Wednesday, December 11, during an extraordinary virtual congress, the organization of two successive editions of its most brilliant and coveted product: the men's football World Cup. In a few clicks, it will designate the host countries of the global event in 2030 and then in 2034.
In other times, FIFA's decision would have dominated the news, even beyond sport. Rumours would have kept the media, and with them the general public, on tenterhooks awaiting the result. But the body chaired by Gianni Infantino killed the suspense by retaining only two applications. Above all, it stifled any idea of democracy, by imposing on its 211 member associations a choice that had already been made.
The first of the two tournaments will be awarded to a trio of Spain-Morocco-Portugal, with an excursion to South America (Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay) at the start of the competition, to quickly celebrate the centenary of the World Cup and silence the history activists. A 2030 World Cup in six countries, therefore, and no less than three continents. The best illustration that everything is possible for FIFA, not always the best.
For 2034, too, the die is cast. Alone in the race, Saudi Arabia will win the bet, with a pharaonic project on a par with its sporting ambition.
Clarification: the vote for this double allocation will not really be one. It will be done by acclamation. Well yes, the old-fashioned way. A clever way to avoid seeing the procedure disrupted by discordant voices. It remains to be seen how FIFA plans to go about technically proceeding with a vote by acclamation in virtual mode, with more than 200 countries invited to participate. The only certainty: the opponents will not be heard.
How many of the member countries will refuse to vote in a pre-determined election? Barring an improbable scenario, very few. And, come on, maybe even just one.
Norway has announced it without hiding, through its president: it will abstain this Wednesday, when FIFA asks its national federations to acclaim the future hosts of the men's World Cup. "Tomorrow's vote is not there to ratify the host countries of the 2030 and 2034 World Cups, which are already known, suggested former player Lise Klaveness on the eve of the decision. The congress's primary aim is to endorse the method of designation operated by FIFA. By abstaining from the vote by acclamation, we are sending a clear signal that we do not endorse FIFA's current approach."
For others, the trend is more moderate. In Europe, in particular, several countries have expressed their concerns about the issue of human rights in Saudi Arabia. Germany, in particular. But without getting on the same bandwagon as Norway and announcing their abstention.
Example: Switzerland. Its federation (SFV) has confirmed that it will support the Saudi bid for the 2034 World Cup, but by demanding that the issue of human rights be at least supervised, and ideally controlled, by FIFA and the International Labour Organization (ILO).
Its president, Dominique Blanc, explains: “ We will agree on 2030 and 2034, but we will also raise our concerns about Saudi Arabia's bid for 2034. We have formulated these specific points in the area of workers' rights and human rights in a letter to FIFA, where we make demands and proposals. Specifically, we call on FIFA and the organisers to set up independent monitoring and appeal bodies, in addition to the International Labour Organisation (ILO). The right to freedom of expression and freedom of the press, as well as full protection against discrimination during the World Cup, including on the basis of gender, sexual orientation and religion, are also fundamental to us."
But the Swiss will vote for both issues. They will applaud, like the others, a double choice made without them. They will validate, nothing more.
