Why Saudi Arabia is unfit to host FIFA World Cup —ITUC-Africa

The International Trade Union Confederation Africa (ITUC-Africa) has called on the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to oppose Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the 2034 FIFA World Cup, citing a history of human rights abuses toward migrant workers.

ITUC-Africa, which represents 18 million workers across 52 African nations, says granting the Kingdom hosting rights would condone widespread exploitation of migrant laborers, especially those from Africa.

“Whosoever tramples on the rights of a worker anywhere in the world is directly asking us to speak out and demand justice,” said Comrade Akhator Joel Odigie, the ITUC-Africa  General Secretary.

Apparently, the above statement underpins ITUC-Africa’s strong protest, urging CAF President Dr. Patrice Motsepe to shield African migrant workers from further abuse by opposing the bid.

Contained in a letter to CAF, ITUC-Africa describes Saudi Arabia as a country where African migrant workers “endure severe exploitation and abuse.” The letter warns that hosting the World Cup in Saudi Arabia would likely heighten these issues, casting a shadow over the prestigious tournament with systemic labor injustices.

Signed by General Secretary Akhator Joel Odigie, the letter accuses Saudi Arabia of being a “Kingdom of Oppression for Migrant Workers.” It highlights Saudi Arabia’s ongoing kafala system, which binds workers to employers in a sponsorship-based framework that severely restricts their rights and freedom. Despite recent reforms, ITUC-Africa argues, the kafala system continues to expose workers to forced labor and severe human rights violations, akin to modern-day slavery.

ITUC-Africa shares disturbing accounts from African migrant workers who have faced abuse in Saudi Arabia. One Ethiopian domestic worker recounts being stripped of her passport and forced to work long hours with no breaks. Attempts to leave were met with threats of violence and deportation. “My employer confiscated my passport immediately upon arrival,” she recalls, underscoring the reality many migrant workers face.

Another worker from Kenya describes conditions akin to imprisonment. Promised a well-paying job, she instead found herself working 18-hour days as a cleaner and being locked inside the house whenever her employer left. Such stories illustrate the systematic exploitation embedded in the kafala system, according to ITUC-Africa.

These abuses carry profound physical and mental health consequences for workers, ITUC-Africa said. It went to recounts the story of a Tanzanian worker who was beaten and denied medical treatment after asking for her wages. The organisation emphasises that these cases are not isolated incidents but part of a widespread issue, particularly impacting female workers who endure higher risks of physical and sexual abuse.

ITUC-Africa also points to FIFA’s own Human Rights Policy, which commits to upholding human rights across all operations, and argues that hosting the World Cup in Saudi Arabia would violate these standards. “This decision transcends football,” the organisation states, quoting FIFA’s guidelines on business and human rights, which advocate respect for all internationally recognized human rights principles.

To prevent further abuses, ITUC-Africa calls for “comprehensive labor reforms” in Saudi Arabia, including the abolition of the kafala system and measures to protect workers’ rights. The organisation insists that FIFA should require an independent monitoring body to oversee workers’ conditions during the World Cup preparations, ensuring transparency and accountability.

The letter stresses that workers’ rights must not be compromised for the prestige of hosting the World Cup, calling any move to award the games to Saudi Arabia a betrayal of FIFA’s commitment to human rights. “Justice for workers cannot be sacrificed for the sake of prestige,” the letter states, urging CAF to champion the values of dignity and fair treatment.

With a vote on the 2034 World Cup host fast approaching on December 11, ITUC-Africa presses CAF to stand firm on human rights. They assert that the World Cup’s integrity is intertwined with respect for the workers who make it possible, arguing that FIFA should make a clear choice between endorsing exploitation or justice.

“We will champion this cause until genuine reforms are achieved,” ITUC-Africa vows, warning FIFA and CAF that “silence is complicity.” The letter challenges FIFA to uphold its principles and reject any bid that would exploit vulnerable migrant workers, especially African nationals, who deserve dignity, fairness, and hope for a better future.

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