Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Trending
    • FG Puts Presidential Jet For Sale In Switzerland After Nigeria Acquires Airbus A330
    • Coalition: ‘It’s Entirely False,’ Borno Governor Dismisses Defection Rumour
    • NLC Threatens Nationwide Strike Over Rising Poverty, Insecurity
    • Lagos Government Confirms Eight Dead, Eight Injured In Road Accident
    • In Brazil, Tinubu Vows To Eliminate Delays, Bureaucratic Bottlenecks In Agric Sector
    • ‘I Am Reinstated By Court’, Natasha Vows To Resume Plenary Tuesday
    • MAAUN Founder, Professor Gwarzo Bags Prestigious Thabo Mbeki Leadership Award At Global African Conference
    • FBI Moves To Arrest Lagos ‘Big Boy’ Over N460m Trump Inauguration Crypto Deal
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    NEWS POINT NIGERIANEWS POINT NIGERIA
    UBA 720X90
    • HOME
    • NEWS

      FG Puts Presidential Jet For Sale In Switzerland After Nigeria Acquires Airbus A330

      July 6, 2025

      Coalition: ‘It’s Entirely False,’ Borno Governor Dismisses Defection Rumour

      July 6, 2025

      NLC Threatens Nationwide Strike Over Rising Poverty, Insecurity

      July 6, 2025

      Lagos Government Confirms Eight Dead, Eight Injured In Road Accident

      July 6, 2025

      In Brazil, Tinubu Vows To Eliminate Delays, Bureaucratic Bottlenecks In Agric Sector

      July 6, 2025
    • COLUMN

      Don’t Kill Yourself Because He’s Cheating – By Funke Egbemode

      July 6, 2025

      Opposition Coalition: New Wine In Old Wineskins? – By Jonathan Nda-Isaiah

      July 5, 2025

      Danger Of The Single Story (DSS) – By Azu Ishiekwene

      July 3, 2025

      PDP: A Party On Death-Bed – By Kazeem Akintunde

      June 30, 2025

      Fear And Fragility: How Safe Are Nigerians? – By Dr Dakuku Peterside

      June 30, 2025
    • EDUCATION

      13 Countries Offering Free Or Low-Cost PhD Programmes For Non-Citizens

      January 25, 2025

      NECO: Abia, Imo Top Performing States In Two Years, Katsina, Zamfara Come Last

      October 3, 2024

      NBTE Accredits 17 Programmes At Federal Polytechnic Kabo

      August 20, 2024

      15 Most Expensive Universities In Nigeria

      May 19, 2024

      FULL LIST: Tinubu Appoints Former SGF Yayale, Ex-Governor Yuguda, Muhammad Abacha, Jega In Universities’ Governing Councils

      May 18, 2024
    • INTERNATIONAL

      Israel Sending Negotiating Team To Qatar For Gaza Ceasefire Talks

      July 6, 2025

      Texas Flood Kills 24 As Rescuers Search For Children Missing From Girls’ Camp

      July 6, 2025

      UN Says 613 Gaza Killings Recorded At Aid Sites, Near Humanitarian Convoys

      July 5, 2025

      Dozens Feared Hurt In Fuel Station Blast Across Rome

      July 5, 2025

      Israel Kills More Than 300 In Gaza In 48 Hours As Focus Intensifies On GHF

      July 3, 2025
    • JUDICIARY

      FULL LIST: Judicial Council Recommends Appointment Of 11 Supreme Court Justices

      December 6, 2023

      Supreme Court: Judicial Council Screens 22 Nominees, Candidates Face DSS, Others

      November 29, 2023

      FULL LIST: Judicial Commission Nominates 22 Justices For Elevation To Supreme Court

      November 16, 2023

      Seven Key Issues Resolved By Seven Supreme Court Judges

      October 26, 2023

      FULL LIST: CJN To Swear In Falana’s Wife, 57 Others As SANs November 27

      October 12, 2023
    • POLITICS

      What Peter Obi May Lose If He Joins Coalition As VP Candidate

      May 25, 2025

      Atiku Moves To Unseat Wike’s Damagum As PDP Chairman, Backs Suswam As Replacement

      April 15, 2024

      Edo’s Senator Matthew Uroghide, Others Defect To APC

      April 13, 2024

      Finally, Wike Opens Up On Rift With Peter Odili

      April 2, 2024

      El-Rufa’i’s Debt Burden: APC Suspends Women Leader For Criticising Kaduna Gov

      March 31, 2024
    • SPORTS

      Best Of African Women’s Football On Display As WAFCON Kicks Off

      July 6, 2025

      Mbappe Scores As Real Madrid Beat Dortmund To Set-Up PSG Semi-Final

      July 6, 2025

      Super Eagles’ Captain, Ahmed Musa Named General Manager Of Kano Pillars

      July 5, 2025

      Rashford, Garnacho, Sancho, Two Others Inform Man United Of Exit

      July 5, 2025

      Kaduna SDP Chieftain, Bashir Zakariya Dies In Auto Crash

      July 3, 2025
    • MORE
      • AFRICA
      • ANALYSIS
      • BUSINESS
      • ENTERTAINMENT
      • FEATURED
      • LENS SPEAK
      • INFO – TECH
      • INTERVIEW
      • NIGERIA DECIDES
      • OPINION
      • Personality Profile
      • Picture of the month
      • Science
      • Special Project
      • Videos
      • Weekend Sports
    NEWS POINT NIGERIANEWS POINT NIGERIA
    UBA 720X90
    Home - English FA Defends Decision To Back Saudi Arabia World Cup Bid

    English FA Defends Decision To Back Saudi Arabia World Cup Bid

    By EditorDecember 14, 2024
    English F A

    THE English Football Association’s decision to back Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the 2034 World Cup was “not difficult” after organisers gave “a lot of commitments”, its chair Debbie Hewitt says.

    Saudi Arabia was confirmed as host of the men’s tournament on Wednesday by football’s world governing body Fifa.

    Organisers have insisted everyone will be welcome, but the country has been criticised for its human rights violations, women’s rights abuses and the criminalisation of homosexuality.

    UBA

    However, Hewitt told BBC Radio 5 Live that England’s FA asked “a lot of questions” before supporting the bid.

    “It wasn’t a difficult decision – I think it was a very thorough process,” added Hewitt.

    WIDGET ADS

    “We spent a lot of time with the Saudis, understanding their approach to the tournament.

    “We asked a lot of questions, they gave us a lot of time and they gave us a lot of commitments and I think the important thing is that we will now work with them over the next 10 years leading up to the tournament to make sure that those commitments are delivered – from both sides.”

    Thomas Sankara African Leadership Prize

    The FA met with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) last month to discuss the bid in more detail. It said it was assured the SAFF is committed to providing a safe environment for all fans – including LGBTQ+ supporters.

    “We were reassured by the answers that we got and think this is about a partnership,” said Hewitt, who added the FA would give organisers “the right groups to consult with”.

    Nigerian TAX Reform - Federal Goverment

    “A tournament is not just about the host. A tournament is about those who go along and play their part in it and that’s what we want to do.”

    The 2034 World Cup will be the second to be held in the Middle East – it was staged in Qatar in 2022.

    Saudi Arabia’s international standing was severely damaged by the 2018 killing of Jamal Khashoggi, a US-based Saudi journalist who was a prominent critic of the government.

    National Orientation Agency Page UP
    National Orientation Agency - Down

    In a statement, Rodney Dixon KC, who previously represented Hatice Cengiz, the widow of Khashoggi, said it was disappointing the FA, along with the Scottish and Welsh FAs – who also backed Saudi’s bid – had “merely followed the crowd”, rather than taking a stance against the oil-producing kingdom’s violations.

    “They should reflect on their position and make use of the time before the 2034 World Cup to press for the necessary reforms in country, failing which they should act together with all states that stand for universal human rights to withdraw the tournament from Saudi Arabia,” Dixon added.

    English FA Saudi Arabia World Cup
    Share. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp LinkedIn Telegram Email

    Related Posts

    Best Of African Women’s Football On Display As WAFCON Kicks Off

    July 6, 2025

    Mbappe Scores As Real Madrid Beat Dortmund To Set-Up PSG Semi-Final

    July 6, 2025

    Super Eagles’ Captain, Ahmed Musa Named General Manager Of Kano Pillars

    July 5, 2025

    Rashford, Garnacho, Sancho, Two Others Inform Man United Of Exit

    July 5, 2025
    Add A Comment
    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Latest Posts

    FG Puts Presidential Jet For Sale In Switzerland After Nigeria Acquires Airbus A330

    July 6, 2025

    Coalition: ‘It’s Entirely False,’ Borno Governor Dismisses Defection Rumour

    July 6, 2025

    NLC Threatens Nationwide Strike Over Rising Poverty, Insecurity

    July 6, 2025

    Lagos Government Confirms Eight Dead, Eight Injured In Road Accident

    July 6, 2025

    In Brazil, Tinubu Vows To Eliminate Delays, Bureaucratic Bottlenecks In Agric Sector

    July 6, 2025
    Advertisement
    WIDGET ADS
    News Point NG
    © 2025 NEWS POINT NIGERIA Developed by ENGRMKS & CO.
    • Home
    • About us
    • Disclaimer
    • Our Advert Rates
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    Join Us On WhatsApp