FIFA Report on Qatar 2022 Remedy and Legacy for Workers: Recognizing harm but ignoring responsibility

Geneva, 30 November 2024 - FIFA today released the long-awaited Report by the FIFA Sub-Committee on Human Rights & Social Responsibility on remedy and legacy for workers in the context of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The report reviews FIFA’s human rights responsibilities towards the workers who delivered the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. It acknowledges the harm caused to migrant construction workers, the steps taken and shortfalls, and FIFA’s responsibilities to prevent and mitigate human rights risks to workers involved in the preparation and delivery of tournaments. The report also provides crucial recommendations for ensuring justice and “remedy-informed legacy” for workers in the context of the FIFA World Cup 2022 Legacy Fund, and offers valuable insights for strengthening labour rights and protections in future FIFA competitions. 

While the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) looks at this report as a realistic assessment of the work done over a decade by many actors for advancing rights and protections for workers in Qatar - including but not limited to the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy and the BWI, we cannot ignore the glaring contradiction between FIFA's words and actions regarding its responsibility to remedy, and its promise to deliver a Legacy Fund that strengthens the legacy for migrant workers. 

Just two days ago, FIFA announced a World Cup 2022 Legacy Fund: a fund that astonishingly offers nothing for workers who sacrificed so much to deliver the tournament.

“It is absurd: FIFA recognizes the harm caused and acknowledges its human rights obligations but refuses to allocate resources to remedy injustices or prevent future harm,” said Ambet Yuson, BWI General Secretary. “A legacy fund that excludes workers is no legacy at all. FIFA’s double standard - recognizing responsibility while doing nothing to act on it - is both inconsistent and deeply unjust.”

This double failure - acknowledging the harm but refusing to address it - should deeply alarm anyone concerned about workers’ rights. The report is yet another testament to the fact that the sufferings, rights and respect for the migrant workers who delivered the World Cup have never been a priority for FIFA, despite the organization’s enormous profits and global influence.

Future Events: The Stakes are Higher

Looking ahead, the situation is even more alarming. In just 10 days, FIFA is expected to award the 2034 FIFA World Cup to Saudi Arabia: a country notorious for violating foundamental labour rights and lacking basic mechanisms to monitor and enforce worker protections. In June 2024, BWI lodged a formal complaint with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) against Saudi Arabia for severe human rights abuses and widespread wage theft. The complaint, based on evidence detailed in a BWI report, was deemed admissible by the ILO earlier this month. However, the newly published FIFA World Cup 2034 Bid Evaluation Report makes no mention of these findings in relation to labour rights assessment, raising serious concerns about FIFA’s commitment to upholding human rights standards in future tournaments. 

FIFA’s clear responsibility to identify and address the adverse human rights impacts of its operations include taking adequate measures to prevent, mitigate and remedy abuses. The FIFA Remedy and legacy report published today clearly outlines how the sport governing body failed to ensure sufficient safeguards for workers in Qatar right from the start. Now, FIFA should use its own Report as more than a public relations exercise; it must serve as a guidebook for safeguarding human rights in all future tournaments.

Yet FIFA has so far consistently refused to engage with BWI and leverage our extensive experience in conducting joint labour inspections and addressing workers’ concerns at mega sporting event construction sites, including Qatar 2022 and the Paris 2024 Olympics.

Time for Action, Not Words

“The Remedy and Legacy Report clarifies FIFA’s human rights obligations,” Yuson added. “It is time for FIFA to move beyond empty rhetoric and deliver justice for workers. No worker should have to suffer to deliver FIFA’s flagship football tournaments. This report identifies the shortfalls of the past and provides a roadmap for doing the right thing moving forward. It is time to act now to ensure no future tournament begins without sufficient safeguards for workers.”

BWI remains committed to advocating for workers’ rights and protections at all mega sporting events. FIFA must uphold its human rights obligations and make meaningful investments to address past injustices and establish safeguards for the future. Failing to act decisively will neither right past wrongs nor prevent future abuses.

Download the press release.