Mega-events like FIFA World Cups and the Olympics often serve as catalysts for large-scale urban redevelopment, frequently at the expense of marginalized communities. In the case of Qatar 2022, preparations for the tournament saw numerous reports of forced evictions and clearance of workers’ accommodations and informal housing ahead of event deadlines. Human Rights Watch (HRW) highlighted that migrant workers, already subjected to harsh labor conditions, faced evictions from overcrowded camps and low-cost housing with little or no notice or alternative arrangements.
Similarly, ahead of the 2016 Rio Olympics in Brazil, thousands of residents in favelas—informal settlements—were forcibly displaced to make way for “urban cleansing” projects aimed at beautifying the city for international visitors. According to reports by HRW and Amnesty International, these evictions often lacked adequate consultation, proper compensation, or legal recourse. Families were uprooted, schools and livelihoods disrupted, and alternative housing was frequently located far from economic centers, exacerbating existing inequality and insecurity.
Looking ahead to Saudi Arabia’s 2034 World Cup bid, concerns echo prior patterns observed in other mega-event hosts. The authoritarian nature of the Saudi regime, combined with a history of crackdowns on dissent and forced resettlement, raises serious alarms about potential human rights violations stemming from event-related urban development projects. Human Rights Watch warns of risks of forced evictions without safeguards and the marginalization of vulnerable communities as the country prepares for its bid.
Forced evictions and urban “cleansing” present a clear human rights problem: they violate the right to adequate housing, disrupt social networks, and often disproportionately affect poor and minority populations. These practices showcase the tension between urban development ambitions for megasports spectacles and the human rights of local, often powerless, communities.
Labor Exploitation in Stadium Construction
The construction of stadiums and related infrastructure for mega-events is notoriously dependent on large populations of migrant and low-wage workers, making labor exploitation a central human rights concern.
For Qatar 2022, Human Rights Watch and the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) documented extensive labor abuses. Migrant workers, mainly from South Asia, worked under perilous conditions involving extreme heat, excessive working hours, and unsafe environments leading to thousands of deaths during construction projects. Workers often paid exorbitant recruitment fees, faced passport confiscation that trapped them in Qatar, suffered wage theft, and lived in overcrowded labor camps with poor sanitation. These conditions amounted to forced labor and breaches of core labor rights.
Stephen Cockburn, Head of Rights at Amnesty International, remarked,
“Terrible cases of exploitation are not the exception — they are quite commonplace.”
Many workers saw their wages delayed or withheld, leaving families destitute. Despite Qatar’s touted labor reforms, enforcement remains weak, and abuses persist well after the tournament’s end.
The 2016 Brazil Olympics also exposed exploitative labor practices, where contractors frequently violated workers’ rights during venue constructions. Reports by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and Amnesty detailed unsafe conditions, excessive shifts, and insufficient protective equipment, especially in lower-tier subcontracted labor. Workers lacked union representation and legal protections, leading to hazardous work environments and inadequate compensation.
Saudi Arabia’s preparation and future construction for the 2034 World Cup pose similar concerns. Given the Kingdom’s dependence on migrant labor from South and Southeast Asia, human rights organizations emphasize vigilance. The ITUC has warned that without transparent oversight and genuine reform, labor rights violations will likely mirror those seen in Qatar, perpetuating systemic exploitation and compounding the human cost of the events.
Labor exploitation in mega-event construction reveals a layered crisis: while these events bring global attention and prosperity for some, they rely profoundly on vulnerable workers whose rights are sidelined or outright violated.
Silencing Dissent During Global Events
Mega-events often trigger heightened security measures justified under the guise of protecting visitors and the event’s prestige. However, these measures frequently result in the suppression of dissent and restrictions on civil liberties.
During Qatar 2022, Human Rights Watch and other observers highlighted how authorities curtailed freedom of expression and assembly. Migrant workers who protested unpaid wages or poor conditions faced threats, arrests, and deportations. Journalists and activists reported restricted access and surveillance. Moreover, Qatar’s criminalization of LGBTQ+ identities and limited women’s rights underscored broader systemic repression during the World Cup, silencing marginalized voices.
The 2016 Rio Olympics were also marked by systematic repression of protests and public gatherings. Authorities deployed disproportionate police force during demonstrations, especially those related to economic inequality and displacement due to Olympic developments. Several human rights organizations documented arbitrary arrests, excessive force, and harassment of activists, raising deep concerns about the shrinking civic space under the event’s security arrangements.
The upcoming Saudi Arabia 2034 World Cup bid deepens these concerns. Saudi Arabia’s record of silencing political dissent, imprisoning activists, and restricting freedom of expression is well-known. Human Rights Watch and other international bodies warn that hosting the World Cup could be used as a pretext for intensified repression, limiting any public criticism of the event or its socio-political implications. Transparency and guarantees for respect for free speech remain glaringly absent in Saudi plans.
The silencing of dissent during mega-events reflects a wider pattern of prioritizing spectacle and control over democratic and human rights. It underlines how such events can embolden authoritarian practices and undermine the rights of those seeking to hold power accountable.
The repeated patterns witnessed in Qatar 2022, Brazil 2016, and concerns over Saudi Arabia’s 2034 World Cup reveal a complex and troubling human rights landscape tied to mega-events. Forced evictions uproot vulnerable populations from their homes with inadequate safeguards; labor exploitation in stadium constructions endangers lives and livelihoods; and oppressive security regimes silence dissent and curtail freedoms.
Human Rights Watch, the International Trade Union Confederation, and Building and Wood Workers’ International have issued persistent calls to FIFA, governments, and corporations to uphold labor rights, provide remedies for abuses, and protect civil liberties during mega-events. Yet, enforcement and accountability remain insufficient, putting human dignity at risk amidst the global fanfare.
These events not only reflect but exacerbate underlying inequalities and violations. The growing spotlight on the dark human rights legacies behind the spectacle demands urgent reforms—binding labor protections, legal safeguards against evictions, independent monitoring, and protections for activists and communities. Without such measures, the costs of the world’s grand sporting gatherings will continue to be paid by those least visible and least empowered.
