Peter Tatchell urges Saudi Arabia to guarantee safety of LGBTQ+ football fans at World Cup

Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has written to Saudi Arabia’s Football Federation urging organisers to guarantee the safety of LGBTQ+ folks attending the men’s World Cup in 2034, given the country’s harsh anti-queer laws.

LGBTQ+ football fans were left shocked and deeply concerned when it was announced by FIFA last December that Saudi Arabia would host the international tournament after no other viable bids came forward, with the competition officially handed to the Middle Eastern kingdom following a vote in December.

Saudi Arabia’s relationship with football has been the source of controversy in recent years, with many fans and pundits accusing the nation of using ‘sports-washing‘ to hide its long list of human rights violations which violent anti-LGBTQ+ laws.

Homosexuality is illegal in Saudi Arabia, with the death penalty among the punishments for those found to have engaged in same-sex acts. In addition, LGBTQ+ topics are censored and it is illegal to be trans under Sharia Law, which prohibits what it describes as “cross-dressing”. 

According to Equaldex’s rankings of all world countries, Saudi Arabia is places 162nd in terms of LGBTQ+ equality. Qatar, where the World Cup was held in 2022, was rated 187th.

In a letter addressed to Hammad Albalawi of the FIFA World Cup 2034 team, Tatchell asked for a meeting in which the “safety, dignity and rights of LGBT+ players, officials and fans” can be discussed.

Tatchell outlines five points that he aims to “secure a commitment” on, which are the safety of LGBTQ+ visitors, assurances they will be able to express their support for LGBT+ rights, explicit legal protection for LGBTQ+ visitors from discrimination based on their identities, a commitment that hospitality venues will not discriminate against queer visitors and a pledge to work with human rights groups.

“Saudi Arabia’s ambition to host the World Cup is an opportunity to showcase its commitment to progress and inclusivity on a global stage,” the letter concludes.

“By providing these assurances, you would send a strong message that the Kingdom is willing to engage constructively with the international community on matters of human rights and equality.

Commenting on the reasons for penning the letter, Tatchell said: “FIFA has a responsibility to uphold human rights in all aspects of its operations. Yet the decision to award the World Cup to Saudi Arabia, a country where LGBT+ people face severe persecution, is deeply troubling.

“Without cast-iron guarantees from Saudi authorities, LGBT+ fans could face serious risks.”

He added: “Saudi Arabia has an opportunity to demonstrate a serious commitment to human rights progress and inclusivity on the world stage. These five guarantees would send a powerful message that the Kingdom is prepared to engage meaningfully with the international community on human rights.

“Without them, the World Cup risks becoming yet another example of sportswashing – where oppressive regimes use global sporting events to launder their reputations.”

Previously, Albalawi has said LGBTQ+ fans would be “respected” and “welcome” in the country, but his words have not quelled fears over freedom of speech restrictions and arrests.

“We are on a journey of remarkable transformation,” Albalawi said. “It’s the natural next step for us to aspire to bring the World Cup to Saudi Arabia and we’re very excited about it. You will be respected, you will be welcome and that respect and welcome is to everyone from all around the world.

“We respect the privacy of all of our guests. We have seen millions of guests come to Saudi Arabia in the [past] few years. We’ve hosted over a hundred sporting events, attended by more than three million fans who have enjoyed their experience.

“People need to educate themselves about the kingdom and the best way to do that is to come and visit. They will find hospitable Saudis. We would love to receive all our guests.”