As 32 teams gather in Qatar for this most unsettling of World Cups, the following numbers serve as a stark reminder of the human cost of the tournament, as well as the ongoing suffering among migrant workers, women and the LGBTQ+ community in the country.
Gianni Infantino, Fifa’s president, wants us to focus solely on football. Many will. But the World Cup’s impact should not only be measured on the balance sheet or the tournament’s roll of honour, but in the realities of ordinary people’s lives. These are just some of the numbers that shame Qatar’s shiny new stadiums and the 22nd edition of the World Cup:
