The Prince of Wales will not travel to Qatar next month to attend the Men’s Football World Cup, reports have suggested.
Prince William, 40, who is the president of the Football Association, is a keen football fan, often seen taking his son, Prince George, nine, to games such as the Euro 2020 final at Wembley.
William had initially been expected to attend matches in Qatar, but now The Sun, citing royal sources, reports that his busy diary means he will be unable to attend.
The Men’s Football World Cup begins on 20 November this year, with the final match scheduled for 18 December.
However, William and the Princess of Wales have a number of events scheduled during this time, including a trip to Boston in the US to present the Earthshot Prize in early December.
The source said that William, who is an avid Aston Villa fan, and Kate Middleton, have their diaries laid out six months in advance, but that “no space was found for Qatar”.
William’s decision comes as Qatar faces criticism over its human rights record and for its stance on same-sex relationships.
Same-sex relationships are illegal in Qatar because of its strict Islamic rulers.
There is also concern over reports of worker deaths during the construction of seven of the eight stadiums being used for the World Cup,which have been built from scratch.
The International Trade Union Confederation estimate that there could have been up to 7,000 worker deaths by the time the World Cup begins, but Qatari authorities say there have been three work-related and 34 non work-related fatalities.
Amnesty International has also called on Fifa to pay Qatar stadium workers up to £350m in compensation due to the “human rights abuses” they have been subject to.
A spokesperson for the Prince of Wales declined to comment when approached by The Sun.
