Gulf state awarded the tournament amid accusations of ‘sportswashing’ over exploitation of its migrant workforce

• Saudi Arabia’s World Cup bid victory is a crushing defeat for migrant workers’ rights

Saudi Arabia’s hosting of the men’s World Cup in 2034 will probably lead to “severe and widespread rights violations”, say human rights organisations anticipating Fifa’s rubber-stamping of the Gulf state’s bid this week.

The country is the sole bidder for the tournament but has been heavily criticised for its treatment of mainly Asian and African migrant workers, who are crucial to its ability to build the new football stadiums and infrastructure necessary for running one of the world’s biggest sporting events.