Fifa strike agreement to ensure ‘safe conditions’ on World Cup construction sites

Human rights organisations have previously warned migrant workers will die in preparing Saudi Arabia to host the 2034 finals without major reform

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Workers walk towards the construction site of the Lusail Stadium, which hosted the World Cup final in 2022 (REUTERS)

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Fifa has struck an agreement which it says will ensure "decent and safe" conditions for workers on World Cup construction sites.

Human rights organisations have previously warned migrant workers will die in preparing Saudi Arabia to host the 2034 finals without major reform, having criticised Fifa for not doing enough to protect workers involved in projects connected to the 2022 finals in Qatar.

Fifa announced a new agreement with Building and Wood Workers' International (BWI) on Wednesday which "sets a framework for joint inspections, training and reporting to promote decent and safe working conditions for all workers involved in the construction and renovation of stadiums and other infrastructure linked to Fifa tournaments".

Fifa said the agreement, which runs until 2030, will include BWI and Fifa conducting joint labour inspections, training up workers' representatives, ensuring corrective action and remedy when "adverse impacts are identified" and involve the publication of annual joint summary reports by Fifa's human rights and sustainability sub committee.

Fifa general secretary Mattias Grafstrom said: "Like BWI, Fifa takes workers' rights very seriously.

"It is essential that all workers involved in projects connected to Fifa tournaments enjoy good working conditions, a fair income, safety in the workplace, social protection and integration.

"We want to ensure that everyone benefits when a country hosts a Fifa tournament, and that includes those who build the infrastructure."

Amnesty International previously described an evaluation report of the Saudi 2034 bid, which identified the country's hosting as "medium risk" on human rights criteria, as a "whitewash".

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Fifa strike agreement to ensure ‘safe conditions’ on World Cup construction sites

Human rights organisations have previously warned migrant workers will die in preparing Saudi Arabia to host the 2034 finals without major reform

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