FIFA World Cup: Can It Leave Behind a Positive and Lasting Human Rights Legacy?

Every four years, the FIFA World Cup brings together millions of soccer fans from around the world through their shared love of the game. 

But despite its popularity, the FIFA World Cup faces significant challenges that hinder it from generating positive social and economic impacts.

Human rights are of particular concern, according to Jason Bocarro, the Owens-Shelton Distinguished Professor of Leadership with a Global Perspective in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management.

“FIFA has recognized human rights issues associated with the World Cup, but there are ongoing concerns about the effectiveness of the organization’s policies,” said Bocarro, who studies the legacy of mega sporting events. 

The FIFA World Cup has been linked to a range of human rights violations, including migrant worker exploitation, restrictions on freedom of expression, and much more.

Labor unions and advocacy organizations, for example, reported that worker deaths, wage theft and other violations occurred as part of stadium construction for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

More recently, a report commissioned by FIFA found that wage theft and worker deaths occurred in preparation for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

FIFA requires host nations to make human rights commitments as part of the bidding process to ensure the protection of workers, local communities, players and fans.

But there is “very little scrutiny” from FIFA when it comes to evaluating whether host nations implement those human rights commitments, according to Bocarro. 

“Many nations put on a good show during the bidding process but don’t necessarily follow through on their human rights commitments,” Bocarro said.

FIFA has established policies and guidelines aimed at identifying and addressing any potential adverse human rights impacts associated with its events. 

One of those policies includes evaluating the human rights records of countries bidding to host the FIFA World Cup, though critics claim the process is flawed.

FIFA has faced criticism for standing by its decision to award the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosting rights to the United States, Canada and Mexico, despite concerns about the potential impact of U.S. immigration policies on fans and players.

The organization’s selection of Saudi Arabia as the host for the 2034 FIFA World Cup has also drawn criticism due to the country’s human rights record, which includes formal complaints of migrant worker exploitation.

“FIFA’s authority to compel host nations to uphold human rights commitments is limited.”

Advocacy organizations argue that FIFA’s assessments are not rigorous enough and have long called for stronger measures to address human rights concerns.

FIFA’s current approach to human rights primarily relies on voluntary commitments and engagement with event stakeholders, rather than legally binding obligations.

“Under the current framework, FIFA’s authority to compel host nations to uphold human rights commitments is limited,” Bocarro said.

Since adopting its human rights policy in 2017, FIFA has begun working with advocacy organizations to address issues related to the World Cup. 

In a study published in Sport Management Review, Bocarro and collaborators examined the role of advocacy organizations for ethical mega sporting events. 

The study found that advocacy organizations can leverage mega sporting events to raise awareness and pressure stakeholders on a range of human rights issues. 

Historically, advocacy organizations named and shamed stakeholders in the media to promote discussions about human rights concerns. 

Now these organizations are shifting to a more collaborative approach, and in some cases, they’re even serving as advisors to stakeholders.

“Many advocacy organizations have begun prioritizing building relationships and trust with event stakeholders to influence change from within,” Bocarro said.

While this strategy can lead to more constructive dialogue and the development of shared goals, these partnerships face challenges.

For instance, there is no formal mechanism for advocacy organizations to convene with stakeholders during the post-event stage to ensure lessons are learned. 

Advocacy organizations also often serve as informal partners, meaning their influence is contingent on individual relationships rather than on a formal, structured process. 

Ultimately, while advocacy organizations play a crucial role as partners in mega sporting events, it’s up to stakeholders to ensure good governance and accountability. 

This is especially important now that FIFA has begun awarding the World Cup hosting rights to different countries with diverse human rights records, according to Bocarro.

“With increased competition between countries willing to host the World Cup, FIFA has a unique opportunity to hold countries accountable, potentially threatening to terminate any agreement to host the tournament if human rights are violated,” he said.