What the Qatar World Cup taught us about sports, politics, and the media

The Qatar World Cup exploited migrant workers and emboldened wealthy autocrats. Yet it also changed the way fans, activists, and journalists engage with the game. Could that be its lasting legacy?

Dec 22, 2023

The Emir of Qatar bestowing Leo Messi with a Bisht following his victory in the 2022 World Cup final

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It was 3:00am local time when I found myself logging into a Zoom session for a special edition of The Guardian Football Weekly.

Hosted by the insightful Max Rushden and featuring myself and fellow journalists Philippe Auclair and Pete Pattisson, the panel delved into the one-year anniversary of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, exploring questions such as the lasting legacy of the tournament, its influence on other autocratic regimes participating in sports, and the evolving role we should play in addressing social issues in all countries hosting major tournaments in the future.

It was an important conversation to have.

According to a recent report by Amnesty International, the “need to protect workers in Qatar from continued exploitation and abuse remains as urgent as when the tournament kicked off.” The report also noted that despite changes to Qatar’s legal frameworks, “abuses persist on a significant scale, while remedy from both Qatar and FIFA remains out of reach for so many workers.”

The success of Qatar 2022, combined with the absence of repercussions, is likely to empower other wealthy autocrats to utilize sports as a means of global influence.

Although there was pressure on Qatar to introduce certain limited and cosmetic labour reforms before the tournament, the Gulf state has not faced any incentives to enact those changes or fulfill its commitments to improving its human rights standing. This is especially troubling in the wake of Saudi Arabia’s status as the sole candidate to host the 2034 World Cup.

And unlike Qatar, the kingdom is already ahead of the game.

Over the past few years, Saudi Arabia has strategically expanded its influence within the realm of sports by actively engaging in sponsorship through the state-controlled Public Investment Fund (PIF) and the prominent oil giant, Aramco. The kingdom's sponsorship extends to hundreds of events and leagues, and it has secured influential roles within various international sports federations.

In addition to its financial influence, Saudi Arabia is attracting athletes and celebrities with unprecedented contracts that include non-disparagement clauses, essentially buying their silence. This is particularly concerning, as it not only solidifies the kingdom's dominance in the sports landscape but also limits the freedom of expression for those involved.

Then there is Crown Prince and de facto ruler Mohamed bin Salman, who recently claimed that Saudi Arabia will continue to participate in sportswashing—the practice of deploying sports as a form of brand management and reputation laundering—as long as it is beneficial to his economy.

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Looking ahead to 2034, I fear that the sports landscape, encompassing athletes, leagues, and organizations like FIFA, may become overly dependent and captivated by the kingdom. The concern is that the allure of Saudi Arabia's financial backing might suppress any meaningful action against potential human rights violations.

As the kingdom's influence continues to grow, the perceived commitment to human rights principles within the sports arena may be reduced to lip service, if that.

It will therefore be the responsibility of journalists, activists, and fans to help hold organizations such as FIFA, as well as authoritarian states such as Saudi Arabia to account. Fan groups such as NUFC Fans Against Sportswashing have done excellent work raising awareness about the human rights abuses taking place in the kingdom, platforming local activists and dissidents, and encouraging fans to pressure institutions. Organizations such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and the Human Rights Foundation also played an important role in exposing abuses and applying pressure to the necessary stakeholders.

For years, journalists have been at the forefront of reporting on the intersection of politics at the World Cup in Qatar. From investigative pieces uncovering the exploitation of migrant workers and the resulting death toll to thoughtful pieces reflecting on the ways authoritarian states stand to benefit from hosting prestigious sports events, the reportage has helped breathe new life into sports journalism, rightfully demanding that reporters expand their coverage beyond what takes place on the pitch.

However, as I noted in a piece for The Guardian last year, it is vital that sports journalists continue to reflect on the intersection of sports, politics and human rights, and to apply that critical lens to future global sports events, including those taking place in democratic countries.

To quote myself from the article, which was published in the days following the 2022 World Cup: “While it was easy to find fault in Qatar given its autocratic nature and well-documented human rights abuses, it is essential that those same journalists approach all future international sports events, including those in the Western world, with a similar critical lens in order to avoid the perception of hypocrisy, orientalism and journalistic posturing.”

I would like to see my colleagues in the space tackle topics such as the creeping authoritarianism of the 2024 Paris Olympics, the deterioration of LGBTQ+ rights in the United States, and Canada’s unresolved migrant issues and limited progress in Indigenous reconciliation.

In doing so, journalists can offset the perception of the declining credibility and moral legitimacy of the Western world as arbiters of human rights. This is particularly crucial given the stark contrast in their treatment of Israel's ongoing invasion of Gaza as opposed to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Our reputations are at stake and it is vital that we learn from our mistakes and rise to the challenge.