FIFA has entered into an agreement which it says will guarantee “suitable and safe” conditions for workers at World Cup construction sites.
Human rights groups have previously warned that migrant workers will die in Saudi Arabia’s preparations to host the 2034 finals without major reforms, criticizing FIFA for not doing enough to protect workers involved in projects linked to the 2022 finals in Qatar.
On Wednesday, FIFA announced a new agreement with the Building and Wood Workers International (BWI) that “sets out a framework for joint inspections, training and reporting to promote decent and safe working conditions for all workers involved in the construction and renovation of stadiums and other infrastructure related to FIFA matches.”
FIFA said the agreement, which will run until 2030, will include BWI and FIFA conducting joint labor inspections, training worker representatives, ensuring corrective action and remediation if “adverse effects are detected” and include the publication of annual joint summary reports by FIFA’s Human Rights and Sustainability Subcommittee.
FIFA Secretary General Matthias Grafström said: “Like BWI, FIFA takes workers’ rights very seriously.”
It is essential that all workers involved in projects related to FIFA competitions enjoy good working conditions, fair income, safety at work, social protection and integration.
“We want to make sure that when a country hosts a FIFA tournament, everyone benefits, including those who build the infrastructure.”
Amnesty International has previously described Saudi Arabia’s 2034 bid evaluation report as “whitewashing”, citing the country’s hosting as a “moderate risk” on human rights criteria.
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