Saudi Arabia could potentially host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with officials working "flat out" to try and secure the bid, raising further concerns of 'sportswashing'.
The Arabian nation's awful record on human rights and recent mass executions have earned global condemnation. A staggering 81 prisoners were beheaded in a single day in March.
A joint bid with Egypt and Greece could be on the cards, according to reports. Rumours have been around for some time and in 2021 The Athletic reported a joint bid was being considered between Saudi Arabia and Italy.
The country also hopes to host the Olympic Games at some point.
In a statement, Amnesty International UK's Individuals at Risk Campaigns Manager Felix Jakes told PA: "It feels almost inevitable that Saudi Arabia will also seek to host the 2030 World Cup as a sort of crowning glory to its sportswashing operations.
"As things stand, it’s virtually impossible to see how FIFA can square Saudi Arabia’s appalling human rights with its own principles and responsibilities on human rights."
Egyptian newspaper Akhbar Elyom said Minister of Youth and Sports Ashraf Sobhi held a joint meeting with his Greek and Saudi counterparts to finalise arrangements for the bid.
In August, Sobhi told radio station Egyptian Mega FM that "Egypt is working on applying to host the World Cup and other sports tournaments in the future".
Saudi Arabia has an appalling record on human rights and is accused of using global sporting events to mask its brutal mass executions, targeting of journalists and repressive laws.
The country, vastly rich, effectively controls Premier League Newcastle United and has also hosted recent major boxing events such as the Anthony Joshua vs Oleksandr Usyk fight.
In 2021, it held its first Saudi Arabian Formula 1 Grand Prix only months before it executed 81 Saudi and non-Saudi individuals on one day in March 2022.
Further claims of sportswashing arose over its sponsorship of the LIV Golf league, though the country rejects these accusations.
Sports Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal said to AFP: "We're open to discuss with the IOC about this (Olympics) for the future. I think Saudi Arabia has showcased that we can host such events.
"We're progressing, we're moving towards a better society, we're moving towards a better quality of life, a better country, for the future."
Despite the claims of progression, those executed included people on charges of "terrorism", murder and armed robbery, but also those accused of "disrupting the social fabric and national cohesion" and "participating in and inciting sit-ins and protests".
Of the event, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa Lynn Maalouf said: "This execution spree is all the more chilling in light of Saudi Arabia’s deeply flawed justice system, which metes out death sentences following trials that are grossly and blatantly unfair, including basing verdicts on "confessions" extracted under torture or other ill-treatment."
Two of the 81 executed men were convicted of crimes in relation to anti-government protests.
"Such a shocking number of deaths also reveals Saudi Arabia’s lack of transparency in death penalty cases since we know that the number of trials resulting in prisoners being placed on death row is always significantly higher than what is publicly reported. Many individuals today in Saudi Arabia are at imminent risk of execution."
Much of the country's recent history has been internationally condemned and the CIA blamed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for ordering the death of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Embassy in Istanbul, Turkey.
Khashoggi's body was cut into pieces and discarded.
Even with the concerns, FIFA's recent record on choosing World Cup hosts may mean they are not put off from choosing a potential Saudi bid.
Russia successfully bid for the 2018 tournament, despite allegations of corruption, and controversy remains over the hosts of this year's tournament, Qatar.
FIFA has been approached by the Mirror for comment.
