Ensuring Human Rights Protections: FIFA’s Responsibility for the 2030 and 2034 World Cups

FIFA Urged to Secure Binding Commitments to Improve Human Rights for World Cup Hosts

FIFA‘s Lack of Competition Puts Human Rights at Risk

The Sport & Rights Alliance, a coalition of human rights and anti-corruption organizations, trade unions, fan representatives, athlete survivors groups, and players’ unions, has called on FIFA to secure clear and binding commitments to improve human rights in countries likely to host the 2030 and 2034 men’s football World Cup tournaments. This call comes as Saudi Arabia is the sole bidder for the 2034 event, and a joint bid from Morocco, Portugal, and Spain is the only one being considered for 2030. The lack of competition to host the tournaments raises concerns that FIFA‘s leverage to address human rights issues may be undermined.

FIFA Must Take the Lead in Ensuring Human Rights Protections

The coalition believes that FIFA must take the lead and secure binding human rights guarantees from the bidders. It argues that the bidding process is the best opportunity for FIFA to obtain commitments from potential hosts to protect workers’ rights, ensure freedom of expression, and prevent discrimination linked to the World Cup. The Sport & Rights Alliance emphasizes that human rights commitments must be agreed with potential hosts before final decisions on holding the tournaments are made.

Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch Highlight the Risks

Amnesty International’s Head of Economic and Social Justice, Steve Cockburn, warns that if serious human rights risks are not credibly addressed, FIFA must be prepared to halt the bidding process. Minky Worden, Director of Global Initiatives at Human Rights Watch, adds that FIFA‘s human rights policy must not be reduced to a paper exercise when it comes to choosing the host of the world’s most watched sporting event.

The failure of FIFA to insist on human rights protections when awarding the 2022 World Cup to Qatar is cited as a major reason for delayed and weak reforms. Ronan Evain, Executive Director of Football Supporters Europe, highlights the opportunity for FIFA to salvage the reputations of the 2030 and 2034 World Cups with supporters by taking firm action and implementing meaningful reforms.

FIFA‘s Guidelines on Human Rights Protections

According to FIFA‘s guidelines, countries bidding to host the 2030 and 2034 World Cups must commit to respecting internationally recognized human rights and implement human rights and labor standards. As part of their bids, countries must undertake and publish an independent human rights risk assessment, as well as submit a plan to address identified risks such as worker rights abuses, forced evictions, discrimination, restrictions on freedom of expression, or corruption.

FIFA Must Ensure Independence and Dialogue

It is essential for FIFA to ensure that human rights risk assessments are truly independent. In the past, bidding Football Associations have been able to propose who conducts these assessments, leaving room for potential bias or abuse. To uphold its own policies, FIFA has the authority to reject bids evaluated as “high risk” or agree on corrective plans. Furthermore, FIFA should engage in continual dialogue with the Sport & Rights Alliance to identify risks and find ways to avoid and overcome them.

Public Opinion Emphasizes the Importance of Human Rights Standards

An opinion poll conducted by Amnesty International, which surveyed over 17,000 adults in 15 countries, revealed that a majority of fans wanted human rights standards to be a key consideration when selecting the host of a major sports event like the World Cup. This underscores the growing recognition of the significance of human rights in the context of sporting events and the need for FIFA to take these concerns seriously.

Editorial: FIFA‘s Duty to Uphold Human Rights

FIFA has a responsibility to ensure that the World Cup, as its flagship event, is not tainted by serious human rights abuses. The bidding process for hosting the 2030 and 2034 World Cups presents a crucial opportunity for FIFA to secure binding commitments from potential hosts to protect workers’ rights, safeguard freedom of expression, and prevent discrimination. By taking a proactive stance and establishing clear human rights guidelines and expectations, FIFA can uphold its reputation and demonstrate its commitment to social responsibility.

Transforming the Legacy of Football

As the world’s most watched sporting event, the World Cup has the power to deliver positive social change. By demanding human rights guarantees and holding host countries accountable, FIFA can use its influence to prompt reforms and leave a lasting legacy that goes beyond the tournament itself. The Sport & Rights Alliance highlights the importance of ensuring that human rights risk assessments are conducted independently to avoid potential bias and manipulation. These assessments should play a central role in the bidding process, guiding FIFA‘s decisions and enabling it to reject bids with significant human rights risks.

The Role of Public Opinion

The opinion poll conducted by Amnesty International reveals a growing demand among fans for human rights considerations in selecting World Cup hosts. This shows that public opinion is increasingly aligned with the need for sporting events to go hand in hand with human rights standards. FIFA must recognize this shift in sentiment and prioritize meaningful and transparent engagement with fans and civil society organizations to ensure that the World Cup upholds the values of equality, dignity, and respect for human rights.

Advice: FIFA‘s Path Towards Accountability

To secure clear and binding commitments to improve human rights, FIFA should take the following steps:

1. Strengthen Guidelines: FIFA should enhance its guidelines to ensure that they are specific, comprehensive, and aligned with international human rights standards. Clear expectations should be set for potential host countries to uphold worker rights, protect freedom of expression, prevent discrimination, and address corruption risks.

2. Independent Assessments: FIFA must ensure that human rights risk assessments are truly independent and conducted by reputable organizations. This will help safeguard against bias and manipulation, yielding credible and actionable recommendations for potential host countries.

3. Dialogue with Stakeholders: FIFA should proactively engage with the Sport & Rights Alliance, civil society organizations, and fans to establish ongoing dialogue and collaboration. Continual engagement will enable FIFA to identify risks, address concerns, and promote accountability throughout the bidding process and beyond.

4. Swift Action: If serious human rights risks are identified, FIFA must be prepared to halt the bidding process until these risks are credibly addressed. This will demonstrate FIFA‘s commitment to prioritizing human rights over the economic benefits of hosting the World Cup.

5. Transparency and Reporting: FIFA should commit to transparent reporting on human rights commitments and progress made by both bidding countries and host nations. Holding all stakeholders accountable will ensure the effective implementation of human rights protections.

By taking these steps, FIFA can turn the World Cup into a catalyst for positive change and set a precedent for future sporting events to prioritize human rights and social responsibility. It is essential that FIFA fulfills its duty to protect the rights and dignity of all those involved in the world’s most celebrated sports tournament.

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