FA’s World Cup campaign ‘falls well short’, human rights group claim

The FA has joined nine other European federations, including the Football Association of Wales, in supporting a season-long OneLove campaign against discrimination

The World Cup kicks off in Qatar in just two months time (AFP via Getty Images)

The Football Association's attempts to take a stand on the issues that have plagued the build up to the World Cup in Qatar still "fall well short" of what is required, human rights groups have claimed.

The FA has joined nine other European federations, including the Football Association of Wales, in supporting a season-long OneLove campaign against discrimination.

Harry Kane and the captains of eight other countries who have qualified for the tournament will wear the OneLove armband in Qatar, where same-sex relationships and the promotion of same-sex relationships, are criminalised.

The FA continues to request more detail on the assurances given by the local organising committee that all fans, including those from the LGBTQ+ community, will be welcome, safe and secure while it has been confirmed a group of migrant workers have been invited to England's World Cup training base to meet the players.

The measures, announced on Wednesday, are not enough in the eyes of some groups though, who believe more still needs to be done with the tournament now just two months away.

"Coloured armbands are no substitute for clear demands for Fifa," human rights organisation Fair Square said. "While the English FA's support in principle for key issues is welcome, it falls well short on the detail and specificity that those affected by the World Cup need from participating nations."

In May, Amnesty called on world football's governing body to set aside at least $440million for the migrant workers who’ve suffered in Qatar during preparations for the World Cup.

They claim the sum - the same as the prize money due to be handed out at the competition - represents only a small fraction of the $6bn total revenue Fifa is expected to make at this year's tournament.

“It’s obviously welcome that the FA is actively seeking to promote inclusion and anti-discrimination, and it’s important that this is wholeheartedly extended to the World Cup," the organisation's head of priority campaigns, Felix Jakens, said on Wednesday.

“The FA’s pledge to support efforts to remedy abuses suffered by thousands of overseas workers in Qatar - including with a Migrant Workers’ Centre - could be significant, but we still need to see whether this is seriously taken up either by the Qatari authorities or by Fifa."

He added: “Our polling shows that people in the UK - including former players like Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer - want justice for abused World Cup workers, and they want to see the FA publicly backing a Fifa-funded workers’ remediation programme.

“Today’s announcement is welcome, but the FA now needs to specifically support a Fifa compensation fund for abused workers and the families of those who’ve died to make the World Cup happen.”

Chief executive Mark Bullingham said the FA continues to lobby Fifa for an update regarding a compensation scheme for workers.

"We continue to push for the principle of compensation for the families of migrant workers who have lost their lives or have been injured in construction projects," he said.

"Again, we are pushing Fifa for an update on the compensation fund which has been consistently referenced as a safety net where workers and their families have been unable to secure compensation from the construction companies."

Hosts Qatar open the World Cup against Ecuador on 20 November.