FIFA’s World Cup selection process puts workers at risk

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) is deeply concerned by the process to select the hosts for the 2030 and 2034 men’s football World Cup. It undermines democracy and human rights in sport, and puts workers in Saudi Arabia at extreme risk.

Credit: AFP

The vote at FIFA’s Extraordinary Congress forced national football associations to cast a single vote for both 2030 and 2034, with no option to independently evaluate or reject either host bid.

FIFA’s human rights risk assessments have been widely criticised by trade unions, human rights organisations and even its own members. A report from Amnesty International and the Sport and Rights Alliance, of which the ITUC is a core partner, found serious failings related to freedom of association, freedom of expression, LGBTI rights, a minimum wage and more.

"In this process, FIFA has bypassed critical safeguards and ignored its own human rights commitments." ITUC General Secretary Luc Triangle

“It has proceeded knowing that workers will be denied the fundamental right to organise or join trade unions. This right is essential to ensure occupational health and safety; a critical issue in Saudi Arabia with reports that more than 21,000 workers have been killed constructing ‘The Line’.

“It has also ignored the abusive kafala system that condemns millions of migrant care, construction and service workers to abuse and rampant wage theft. And at a time when athletes are being increasingly recognised as workers and human rights defenders, they could face criminalisation for exercising their rights at work during a tournament in Saudi Arabia.”

This year alone, Saudi Arabia:

  • Saw its ranking worsen in the ITUC Global Rights Index.
  • Was the subject of two formal complaints at the ILO by the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) for “severe human rights abuses and wage theft involving at least 21,000 construction workers,” and an Amnesty International report found that migrant workers at subcontracted Carrefour stores were cheated of their earnings.
  • Faced a complaint to the United Nations from ITUC Africa and ITUC affiliates COTU (Kenya), FESTU (Somalia), CETU (Ethiopia), NOTU (Uganda), TUCTA (Tanzania), GTUC (Ghana) and NLC (Nigeria) regarding the “relentless exploitation, wage theft, forced labour” faced by African migrant workers.

Luc Triangle concluded: “FIFA appears to be laying the groundwork for mass violation of trade union rights in the name of profits for the few. Athletes, fans, local residents and millions of workers in the global World Cup supply chain deserve better.

“The ITUC with its affiliates, Global Union Federations and partners worldwide will keep pressure high on FIFA and Saudi Arabia to fulfil their human and labour rights obligations. We are determined to ensure that workers are treated with dignity. To achieve this, the International Labour Organisation must be fully involved as UN-agency working on the Fundamental Principles and Rights at work, decent work and safe and healthy workplaces. ”