The sign “Qatar” being brought out during the opening game 

The 2022 FIFA World Cup kicked off in late November. At this point in the tournament, the Round of 16 has begun and fans are settling in to see who makes it to the final match. However, there has been huge talk shedding light on Qatar (the host country for the 2022 World Cup). 

To start off, Qatar is a small country located in the Middle East. Qatar follows strict Muslim laws which have been under fire for the way they treat humans. In Qatar, women are restricted in what they can do and men are the higher power. Also, it is illegal to be gay and there are punishments for this action. Morality is not the only topic of conversation, the treatment of their people also comes up.

Around 30,000 people from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and the Philippines built the eight stadiums for the 2022 World Cup and other structures needed for the world’s biggest tournament. There are reports that more than 6,000 workers have died amidst the building of these stadiums. Moreover, the treatment of the workers has been a big issue. Qatar denies these claims with little truth to back up their story. Australia and England as well as other countries have voiced their opinion. Specifically, Australia became the first team competing at the tournament to release a statement criticizing Qatar on human rights, saying the “suffering” felt by migrant workers and their families caused by the tournament “cannot be ignored”. England joined this fight as well, they are wearing “toned down” jerseys to protest against Qatar. 

As investigations continue, more information will be brought to light. Currently, the semi-finals are approaching which brings more controversy. Stay tuned for an update!