Philipp Lahm Criticizes FIFA's Decision to Award 2034 World Cup to Saudi Arabia

The former German footballer raised concerns over human rights and non-democratic processes in the tournament's selection.

Philipp Lahm, former German national team captain, has criticized FIFA's decision to host the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia.
Lahm emphasized the importance of holding major sporting events in democratic countries, citing examples like the Paris Olympics and Germany's Euro 2024.
He expressed concerns about Saudi Arabia's human rights record and the lack of democratic decision-making in the country.
The 2030 and 2034 World Cups were awarded in a single online vote, with no alternative bids for 2034, raising questions about the transparency of the process.
Lahm questioned the fairness of FIFA's bundled voting process, which required a joint approval for both tournaments without separate options for each.