The Politics Behind the 2022 World Cup

Three block-like structures sit in the dunes of the Arabian desert. Inside each one lay several rooms with four bunk beds, a sheet each, just two communal restrooms, and buckets of water, used for brushing teeth and showering for its fifty inhabitants. These do not resemble the pleasant working conditions each one imagined when they moved to the country they thought would help them and their family. Instead, it is their very own version of hell, cooked alive every day in the Arabian sun, working countless hours and not being able to see their families for the best part of several years. But why are they out here? What or who has forced them to live in such a way? 

Just weeks after the conclusion of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, preparations were being made for the most-watched sporting event in the world. Most fans across the globe did not welcome the announcement of the host of the 2022 competition. Defeating bids from South Korea, Japan, Australia, and the United States, Qatar was announced as the host of its, and the Middle East’s, first World Cup. This was not only surprising but infuriated fans and pundits alike, as many wondered how this had happened, and how a country with only one soccer stadium up to the requirement would host the most prominent sporting competition in the world. This lack of infrastructure along with Qatar’s several human rights issues raised questions about the global soccer governing body, FIFA, whose leaders are notorious for accepting bribes. After nearly a decade of investigating, the United States Department of Justice concluded that this was the case, causing the resignation of powerful figures in FIFA alongside player protests against the tournament taking place in a country notorious for human rights violations. So with the World Cup only days away, let’s take a look at how we reached this point. 

After the announcement of the Qatar World Cup in September 2010, accusations soon started to fly surrounding the legitimacy of how Qatar had been awarded the competition. The United States Department of Justice’s investigation into FIFA was officially announced in 2015, although it was later revealed it had been going on long before the announcement, as they looked into suspected bribery, money laundering, and fraud. Soon after, the head of FIFA for 17 years, Sepp Blatter, resigned from his post alongside the head of UEFA, the European soccer federation, Michel Platini. Their trial was finally held in Switzerland earlier this year, where the pair were both cleared of all charges, however, the aftermath of their resignations and the build-up to their trial revealed some disturbing facts about the Qatar World Cup. In an interview with the German newspaper, Die Zeit, Blatter explained that “European leaders recommended to its voting leaders to vote for Qatar, because of major economic interests in this country.” Platini further explained these instances in an interview with the Associated Press, in which he explained how the political involvement within these international tournaments. On the subject, Platini stated, “With the extraordinary influence Mr. Blatter has, he has only all of a sudden realized there are political and economic influences when we decide who will host an Olympic Games and so forth?” These statements show that the issues involving Qatar’s bid were much more deep-rooted than just FIFA. 

Leading up to the World Cup this winter, several nations have continued to raise concerns more with the country of Qatar rather than FIFA, mainly their continuous acts violating the basic human rights of workers. In the organization of the tournament, they failed to avoid this trend, as at least thirty-seven workers have been killed in the building of infrastructure for the tournament. Even more disturbing, however, is that thirty-four of these deaths were classified as “non-work-related” by event organizers, the very people supposed to be protecting these employees. In all, since Qatar was awarded the World Cup in 2010, approximately 6,500 people have died while working in significantly below-par conditions in the country, mainly immigrants from South Asia. Chief Executive of the committee overseeing World Cup preparations, Nasser Al Khater, has continuously denied this claim, and in an interview with Sky Sports, before the reporter could even finish his question he quickly responded with, “A lot of people speak about this issue of workers’ welfare… are not experts in the industry. I think they need to read and educate themselves a little bit more on about what’s happening on the ground in Qatar.”

As the fans, cameras, and teams descend on Qatar this winter, many will enjoy the action, however, it will be hard to ignore the overhanging factor involving those who helped make the competition possible. Whether it is sitting at home, or in the stadiums, everyone will be able to feel that something is different about this World Cup, and it isn’t the teams. Tension is in the air surrounding the competition, as protests will begin to take place from fans and teams alike as soon as the competition starts. Protests that will raise issues Qatar simply can’t hide from anymore. 

By Luke Birch