US Soccer urges FIFA, Qatar to pay compensation to migrant workers

US Soccer Federation has come out in support of urging FIFA to compensate the families of migrant workers who have suffered in the building of the infrastructures for World Cup 2022 in Qatar. USSF added its name to a joint statement issued by Amnesty International.

FIFA has reportedly not officially executed compensation packages for migrant workers in Qatar. Instead, the governing body of the sport has sat on their hands. Previously, FIFA announced it is ‘open’ to the idea of compensating these workers or their families.

Earlier in the month, FIFA deputy secretary general Alasdair Bell made the claim.

“It’s important to try to see that anyone who suffered injury as a consequence of working in the World Cup, that that is somehow redressed,” continued Bell.

Nevertheless, the wheels are apparently not yet in motion on the situation. The World Cup in Qatar begins in just one month.

Also, Amnesty International reports it previously reached out to all 32 soccer associations set to compete at the upcoming tournament. So far, seven of these countries publicly joined the organization’s calls for migrant worker compensation. One of the seven is the United States Soccer Federation.

US Soccer demands migrant workers get compensation

Under Pressure from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch groups, U.S. Soccer supported compensation of the migrant workers last month. In a statement given to The Athletic, the organization publicly announced their intention to join support for the reimbursements.

“U.S. Soccer has had conversations with Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and other organizations about this important topic,” read the statement. “We’ve also been in communication with UEFA about joining their support for financial compensation for workers. We have been working diligently behind the scenes to finalize our plans and will be ready to share those soon.”

It is also not just soccer organizations that have joined in the fight for migrant worker compensation. Corporate sponsors have also voiced concerns over the issue. AB InBev (Budweiser), Adidas, Coca-Cola, and McDonald’s have all publicly agreed in this compensation.

Human Rights Watch deputy director Middle East/North Africa Michael Page has lambasted FIFA’s failure to act on the issue. “It’s an embarrassment that despite prominent footballers, football associations and sponsors supporting the #PayUpFIFA campaign and widespread popular support, FIFA still failed to commit to calls for a remedy fund for many thousands of migrant workers who died, were injured, or had their wages stolen while making the World Cup possible,” Page proclaimed.

We reached out to U.S. soccer for an additional comment but have yet to hear back.