Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
It has been more than three months since the FIFA World Cup ended in Qatar, but the reputation of the world's most popular sport's governing body has not improved since then. Indeed, FIFA is at the center of many controversies in the sport. According to the Belgian news agency, in a report it published from Brussels at the weekend
"There is still much work to be done to improve the rights of foreign workers, to begin with," the report added. These migrants have been victims of serious abuses, and the Guardian estimated in 2021 that at least 6,500 people died while building stadiums in the country.
FIFA created a fund focusing on education and creating a center of business excellence, but this was strongly criticized by many NGOs.
Last month, Amnesty International sent an open letter with more than a million signatures to the organization, asking it to use the money to help injured workers and the families of those who have died. Other NGOs echoed Amnesty International's request.
“The Qatar 2022 World Cup generated a whopping $7.5 billion in revenue for FIFA, which ignored the plight of the migrant workers who made the tournament possible while facing months of unpaid wages, hazardous working conditions, and unexplained deaths,” said Michael. Reported by Michael Page of Human Rights Watch. He added, "FIFA must (...) direct the fund towards victims of grave violations."
It is highly doubtful that FIFA would recognize these demands. It has been widely criticized for pushing decisions without consulting the parties involved. For example, it recently approved a controversial expansion for the upcoming World Cup, expanding candidacy from 32 to 48 participating nations and from 64 to 104 matches.

Complete disregard for football
FIFA also decided to go ahead with a larger FIFA Club World Cup in 2025 without consulting the local leagues. They are highly critical of the changes, saying they could have dire consequences for football's economy and player welfare. The Spanish football league has accused FIFA of "continuing its erroneous practice of making unilateral decisions" and of "complete disregard" of football.
These decisions are symptomatic of the way the organization is run. Many see FIFA as an authoritarian regime ruled by President Gianni Infantino. Last month, the Swiss football director was re-elected for a second term after a campaign and without opposition.
Infantino is also notorious for his out-of-touch speeches. Last year, he declared that staging the World Cup every two years instead of every four years could prevent African migrants from "dying at sea". During his victory speech, he compared his election campaign to Rwanda's recovery from the genocide in 1994.
Infantino is now pushing for the bi-annual World Cup. He also has a close relationship with Mohammed bin Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia and a candidate to host the 2030 World Cup. With the next four years being only the second term of his presidency, which could last until 2031, things are unlikely to change anytime soon.