We can’t repeat the mistakes of Qatar again.
From the deaths of countless workers in appalling conditions building stadiums, to broken promises about human rights and peaceful protest, the 2022 World Cup has been played against a horrific backdrop.
At Stonewall we stand up for lesbian, gay, bi and trans people’s rights in Britain and across the world.
We work with the United Nations, the FA, Premier League, leading businesses and teachers to champion LGBTQ+ inclusion, whether in sport, at work or in school. We are proud of the progress that we make with our partners day after day, month after month, year after year.
But we have been absolutely appalled by the way that FIFA and Qatar have responded to LGBTQ+ rights throughout the tournament.
This included a Qatari Ambassador’s comments that being gay is “damage in the mind” and the President of FIFA equating his experience of being ginger to the discrimination faced by people who are gay, African or disabled.
The behaviour of both the Qatari authorities and FIFA have been a real let down. There has been no serious engagement with constructive challenges from supporters of LGBTQ+ rights, whether fans wearing rainbow hats or respectful but stern questions from other governments. Time after time, concerns have been mocked and swept under the carpet.
For all the world-class football played, this tournament has been a step backwards from the journey that football has been making across the world.
LGBTQ+ people have long been excluded and invisible in football, but over the last decade we’ve seen some huge strides.
The Rainbow Laces campaign that we have run since 2013 with leading sport brands in TeamPride has been a huge part of that change.
From silence to celebration, from fan groups to top players, football in Britain is now significantly more open, more accepting and more supportive of LGBTQ+ people than it’s ever been.
The great support for inclusion seen in England, Wales and Scotland through Rainbow Laces is sparking change across the world. Sport is a powerful driver for human rights and progress, and it’s been fantastic to see athletes from across the world use major tournaments to show their support for LGBTQ+ people and make sport everyone’s game.
FIFA need to recognise that they have the power to drive forward social progress globally.
Football changes hearts and minds in countries all over the world. Coming together to support football, whether at our local club or the World Cup final, means coming together with people different from us and realising that we have lots to learn from each other, and more in common than divides us.
With decisions soon to be made about the location of the 2030 World Cup it is vital that FIFA learns from the mistakes of Qatar.
At Stonewall we believe that hosting the World Cup is a huge honour and privilege that should only awarded to countries that meet international human rights standards, including respecting minority rights.
The lucky host nation should be held to cast-iron commitments about workers’ rights and conditions, and ensuring the safety and inclusion of all fans.
After two successive Men’s World Cup tournaments held in countries that are hostile to lesbian, gay, bi and trans people, we are looking for FIFA to step up to make football everyone’s game.
