The general director of the International Labor Organization (ILO) was “reasonably optimistic” on Monday in relation to the conclusion of an agreement with FIFA so that social rights are considered in the awarding of the World Cups.
In an interview with the AFP news agency, Golbert Houngbo, who on Sunday met with FIFA president Gianni Infantino, explained that the ILO proposed “carrying out a diligent review of the candidate countries”, the organization of future Cups of the World, who respect labor and social rights.
“All the conversations we have had so far lead me to believe that FIFA is very determined to make social issues and labor standards central to the power to host the next World Cups,” Houngbo said.
After publishing the interview with the ILO director general, the FIFA president announced in a statement that “the two bodies have been in talks for several years and want to cooperate fruitfully.”
“The strengthening of the relationship between FIFA and the ILO is part of the legacy of the World Cup in Qatar,” Infantino said in the statement.
With the 2026 World Cup assigned to the United States, Mexico and Canada, FIFA, the target of much criticism with the choice of Qatar, will have to choose the organizers of the 2030 World Cup, which marks the centenary of the competition.
Portugal, Spain and Ukraine have already formalized their candidacy to organize the 2030 World Cup, to which Argentina and Uruguay have also expressed their intention to compete together.
Since it was chosen by FIFA to host the event in 2010, Qatar has come under heavy criticism, which intensified as the start of the event approached, particularly regarding the rights of migrant workers or LGBTQ+ people.
Source: TSF
