FIFA Faces Pressure to Compensate Workers Injured in Qatar World Cup Preparations

An unpublished FIFA report suggests financial compensation for workers injured while preparing for the Qatar World Cup, following years of criticism regarding their treatment.

An unpublished report commissioned by FIFA has recommended that the organization assume responsibility for compensating workers who suffered injuries, or their dependents in the cases of fatalities, during the construction of venues for the 2022 Qatar World Cup. The event marked the first time the World Cup was hosted in the Middle East, but it has been overshadowed by disturbing reports of worker injuries and deaths connected to the construction of extensive infrastructure, including stadiums, a subway network, and multiple hotels.

Although the internal report does not specify a financial compensation figure, human rights organization Amnesty International has previously urged for a compensation fund amounting to at least $440 million. FIFA has yet to offer compensation to those affected. In a recent statement, FIFA acknowledged the completion of the report, noting it had undergone extensive review, although it fell short of addressing all recommendations made by the study. The governing body claimed the report did not provide a legal assessment regarding obligations for remedying the workers' situations.

The report's contents have been kept confidential as FIFA deliberated over the implications of its findings. However, FIFA pledged to release the report publicly by the year's end, a move that may further shed light on the treatment of migrant workers involved in World Cup preparations amidst mounting global scrutiny.