Human Rights Watch (HRW) has issued a stark warning about the safety and rights of migrant workers in Saudi Arabia as the country ramps up construction for the 2034 FIFA World Cup. The rights organization cited “gruesome yet avoidable” workplace deaths, including falls from buildings, electrocution, and even decapitation, as part of ongoing abuse on large-scale construction sites across the kingdom.
HRW’s report, based on the review of nearly 50 migrant worker death cases, criticizes Saudi authorities for failing to implement adequate safety standards, investigate workplace accidents, or ensure compensation for bereaved families. The NGO stressed that the risks are escalating as Saudi Arabia pushes ahead with World Cup-related projects and other major infrastructure initiatives under its Vision 2030 plan.
The Gulf nation was awarded the 2034 World Cup in December 2023 without competition, despite long-standing concerns over its human rights record, including treatment of migrant laborers and the criminalization of same-sex relationships.
In response, FIFA announced plans to introduce a workers’ welfare system that includes mandatory standards and enforcement mechanisms for tournament-related construction. However, HRW criticized the lack of detail regarding measures to prevent fatalities or ensure compensation, such as life insurance policies and heat protection protocols.
HRW accused FIFA of “knowingly risking yet another tournament that will unnecessarily come at a grave human cost,” echoing similar criticisms ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Though Doha reported only 37 deaths on official World Cup projects with just three work-related rights groups alleged the true toll reached into the thousands.
According to HRW, most migrant worker deaths in Saudi Arabia are attributed to “natural causes” and are rarely investigated or compensated. In 2023, 74% of 1,420 Indian migrant deaths recorded by the Indian embassy in Riyadh were classified as natural, often without proper inquiry.
Even in acknowledged work-related deaths, compensation processes are often protracted. One widow, whose husband died over a decade ago, said her children grew up without support due to the delayed compensation: “If we had received it right after his death, it would have provided so much relief.”
HRW is urging FIFA to ensure transparency, accountability, and justice for the workers building the 2034 World Cup.
