Human rights organisations are warning that another World Cup will be tainted by the deaths and suffering of low-paid workers if Fifa does not take urgent steps to ensure that Saudi Arabia deals with the widespread abuse of its migrant workforce.
As the sole bidder, Saudi Arabia is almost certain to be anointed by Fifa this year as host of the World Cup in 2034, but rights groups said “workers cannot afford a repeat of Qatar 2022”.
Minky Worden, the director of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch said: “Fifa has still not learned the lesson that awarding a multibillion-dollar mega-event with no meaningful due diligence or transparency can cost lives of migrant workers and cause serious human rights risks.”
The warnings come in response to a Guardian investigation that found evidence of high numbers of unexplained deaths of migrant workers from Bangladesh in Saudi Arabia. At least 13,685 Bangladeshis died in Saudi Arabia between 2008 and 2022, according to records kept by the Bangladeshi government. More than 1,500 Bangladeshis died in 2022 alone, a rate of more than four a day.
It is unclear whether the death rate is proportional to the large numbers of Bangladeshis – almost half a million in 2023 – who migrate to Saudi Arabia.
However, the Guardian found that three-quarters of Bangladeshi migrant worker deaths in Saudi Arabia in 2022 were recorded as “natural” by the Bangladeshi government – based on evidence provided by the Saudi authorities – even though all migrant workers must pass a medical test before departing for the Gulf kingdom. The average age of those who died was 44.
Death certificates issued by the Saudi authorities and seen by the Guardian often fail to make any reference to the underlying cause of death. Human rights groups say this makes the deaths effectively unexplained. Experts say the harsh living and working conditions, extreme heat and severe stress endured by many workers may be contributory factors in these deaths.
The pipeline of workers from Bangladesh to Saudi Arabia is expected to increase dramatically if the country is anointed as host of the 2034 World Cup by Fifa.
Like Qatar, Saudi Arabia is heavily reliant on migrant workers, largely from south Asia and parts of Africa, with more than 13 million non-Saudi residents, of whom Bangladeshis make up the largest nationality – more than 2 million in 2022.
While Saudi Arabia has introduced some limited labour reforms in recent years, the risks faced by low-wage migrant workers are likely to increase should the kingdom be awarded the World Cup.
Fifa faced severe criticism over the abuses suffered by low-wage migrant workers in the lead-up to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, amid reports of migrant worker deaths, forced labour and exploitative working conditions.
Ella Knight, the migrant labour rights researcher for Amnesty International, urged the Saudi authorities to ensure all “unexplained” deaths were investigated thoroughly given the evidence of links between premature deaths and unsafe working conditions. “These workers cannot afford a repeat of Qatar 2022, and all the suffering it was built upon.”
Amnesty International said that the findings should put intense pressure on Fifa to explain how Saudi Arabia can comply with the human rights and labour standards that host nations are required to meet. A final decision on the hosting of the tournament is due this year.
“Fifa must now make clear how it expects hosts to comply with its human rights policies,” said Steve Cockburn, the head of economic and social justice at Amnesty International. “It must also be prepared to halt the bidding process if serious human rights risks are not credibly addressed.”
The Sports & Rights Alliance said Fifa risks forfeiting its leverage to demand binding human rights commitments from Saudi Arabia, by effectively awarding it the World Cup without competition.
Despite the Gulf kingdom announcing it had abolished the kafala system – under which workers are tied to their employer – Knight said Fifa must demand “credible guarantees” that this system is fully dismantled.
In a statement, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development listed the progress the country has made on workers’ rights in recent years, including the abolition of the kafala system, the introduction of a wage protection system and measures to regulate the recruitment of migrant workers.
“We are committed to ongoing improvements in labour practices and will continue to work tirelessly to ensure the welfare and rights of all workers in the kingdom,” the statement read.
It also said that it maintained “robust regulations and standards to safeguard workers’ rights and that thorough investigations are conducted into all workplace incidents”, adding: “In tragic cases where deaths occur, they are handled in line with international standards – and autopsy is performed in cases where it is required.
“Death certificates are issued transparently, adhering to established and regulated protocols. Suggestions of negligence or a lack of transparency in this regard are unfounded.”
Despite multiple attempts, Fifa did not respond to requests for a comment.
