The FIFA World Cup
FIFA is set to hold its 2022 Men’s World Cup in Qatar — bringing labor conditions and migrant workers, LGBTI rights and gender equality, freedom of expression, and other human rights issues to the top of the agenda. Just a year later, the 2023 Women’s World Cup in Australia & New Zealand will also open opportunities to advance human rights for migrants, LGBTI-identifying persons, and others.
Finally, preparations for United 2026 are already underway, set to be held jointly in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. Though more is sure to come, advocacy efforts and negotiations for stronger workers’ rights and fair agreements with host cities, airports, and stadiums have already begun.
See the latest research and analysis on FIFA World Cup events below to learn more.
Qatar and LGBTQ Human Rights: An Overview Ahead of the World Cup
The human rights of LGBTQ people have been at the centre of the debate over the upcoming Men’s World Cup in Qatar in recent weeks. The mere fact that the sporting event was going to be organised in a country with laws criminalising people with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions (SOGIE) has contributed […]
CPJ Safety Advisory: Covering the 2022 World Cup
The 2022 FIFA World Cup takes place in Qatar from November 20 to December 18, the first World Cup to be held in the Arab world, and said to be the biggest sporting event held in the Middle East. Journalists working in the small nation bordering Saudi Arabia have faced digital security threats, legal issues, and […]
Qatar: Security Forces Arrest, Abuse LGBT People
Discrimination, Ill-Treatment in Detention, Privacy Violations, Conversion Practices (Beirut) – Qatar Preventive Security Department forces have arbitrarily arrested lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people and subjected them to ill-treatment in detention, Human Rights Watch said today. LGBT people interviewed said that their mistreatment took place as recently as September 2022, as Qatar prepared to host the 2022 […]
Qatar: Global survey shows overwhelming demand for FIFA to compensate World Cup migrant workers
Almost three-quarters (73%) polled across 15 countries support proposal that FIFA use World Cup revenues to compensate workers who suffered in the preparation of the tournament More than two-thirds (67%) want their national Football Associations to speak out publicly about the human rights issues associated with the 2022 Qatar World Cup FIFA should establish […]
Momentum Grows for FIFA to Remedy Migrant Worker Abuses in Qatar
At 100 Days to World Cup, Athletes and Federation Leaders Back Action With the 2022 World Cup 100 days away, professional footballers, football association (FA) leaders, and fan groups are joining the #PayUpFIFA campaign by human rights groups and unions to demand FIFA and Qatari authorities remedy serious migrant worker abuses, including through financial compensation, ahead of the tournament. […]
Qatar: Joint letter to Gianni Infantino regarding remedy for labour abuses
Joint letter urging Mr Gianni Infantino, FIFA President, to work with the Qatar government, trade unions, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and other actors to establish a comprehensive programme to ensure all labour abuses to which FIFA contributed are remedied, and to set aside appropriate financial resources. View Report in English
