In 2010, FIFA had bids for the 2018 World Cup and the 2022 World Cup. As much as I could talk about the corruption of Russia having the 2018 Cup, there’s way more corruption this year. The 2022 bid was “won” by Qatar over a heavily favored United States bid.

The reason Qatar won was that out of the executives that voted, 16/20 of them were bribed with 1 Million or more monetary capital; including the president at the time, Sepp Blatter, who is pictured here with his money. Not only is it not fair that this occurred, but it also was not even possible at the time. Qatar didn’t have even 1/32 of the infrastructure as some of the other countries with bids especially considering the country is the size of Connecticut.

The “Solution”:

The size issue was apparent to the Qatar government and they proposed a plan. They pledged a whopping amount of 220 billion dollars on infrastructure and stadiums. They even had to create a new city, called Lusail City, where some infrastructure and a stadium were built in a quick amount of time. This seems near impossible, but no more information has been leaked about it besides that it was built. This World Cup has put a spotlight on an issue, one that the Qatari government and Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani would like you to be unaware of: The Kafala System.

Kafala System Explained and the Consequences:

The Kafala or sponsorship system gives private citizens and companies in Jordan, Lebanon, Pakistan, and more almost complete control of migrant workers like modern-day slavery.

For example, let’s say you would like to change jobs. You would first have to inform your employer and they would have to approve it and if they don’t you are stuck there. They also take your passport so you can’t leave the country. They would give you a place to stay, whic seems nice, right? Wrong. The place you would stay would be incredibly filthy, with the smell of amonia reeking throughout and no shower. During the Kafala system, they built the stadiums at 122 degrees Fahrenheit or 50 degrees Celcius every day. As a result, FIFA moved the World Cup to the winter. But the damage was already done even though the Kafala system was dismantled. During the construction, around 7,000 migrant workers died due to the intense heat and construction, and there’s still some information that has not been released. This has put a black eye on the sport and the country of Qatar itself.

Policies:

Since announcing the of hosting the World Cup, many injustices within Qatar have become apparent. Including human rights violations for people who identify with or support the LGBTQ+ community. They previously stated that they would accept rainbow flags and the LGBTQ+ community, to then confiscating flags and kicking out supporters. Another policy put into place at the stadiums was the outlawing of alcohol after previously stating it would be allowed. This caused an upset because they did it after FIFA sponsors had already made tents and possessed way too many cans of Bud Light, Budweiser, and more Anheuser-Busch products. Beer was still accessible in the press box containing Qatar’s royalty, which some are calling blatant hypocrisy.

The Games Played So far:

Despite the controversies, the games being played so far have gone well which makes the Qatari

government happy. The games have been a must-watch and many have enjoyed celebrations. Now, will these games forever cover up the incompetence that led up to the World Cup? Many people do not believe so, but the Qatari government will try to cover this up. All we can hope is that in the future FIFA and other countries and governments can learn to grow and change their policies.

Why did this still continue despite the controversy:

Now as for the conclusion one question remains. Why does this corruption still continue? The constant lies, hypocrisy, and changing of plans that have come from it despite the games. The answer is that FIFA doesn’t care about the regime or country they are playing in, they don’t care the World Cup will put the country in insurmountable debt. All they are looking for is what will make the most money. In fact, one of their executives said that World Cups are easier when you have an Authoritarian regime. This is why in 1934 Italy hosted a cup, in 1978 Argentina, in 2018 Russia with Vladimir Putin, and of course Qatar. It is a process that will never change in FIFA unless serious reforms are made. Enjoying the game itself and the players who have practiced and sacrificed is important, but it shouldn’t overshadow the injustices within the sport.