Category FIFA

Workers’ rights were touted to be part of the Qatar World Cup’s legacy. One year on, what has changed? | Global development

One yr in the past, issues have been wanting up for Shakir Ullah Khan. The World Cup in Qatar was about to kick off, and Khan had travelled from Pakistan to Qatar and had discovered a prestigious job as a safety guard on the match. “I used to be joyful to affix a giant organisation like Fifa,” says Khan. Nevertheless it didn’t final. “As soon as we began work … all my hopes turned to mud.” The labour reforms put in place after the worldwide neighborhood condemned the exploitation and deaths among the many military of migrant employees who constructed Qatar’s World Cup dream, have been presupposed to be the legacy of the match. As a substitute, migrant employees in Qatar say that life isn’t any higher for these left behind. The Qatari authorities and Fifa have claimed in any other case, saying that the occasion, described by the Fifa president Gianni Infantino because the best World Cup ever”. A spokesperson for the Qatar authorities stated the occasion “accelerated labour reforms in Qatar, creating a major and lasting match legacy”. Employees now profit from a minimal wage, the liberty to vary jobs, a simplified complaints…

Read MoreWorkers’ rights were touted to be part of the Qatar World Cup’s legacy. One year on, what has changed? | Global development

Head of African football says he wants to get Mali FA president out of jail | Football

The president of the Confederation of African Soccer (Caf) has mentioned it’s his “obligation” to make sure the president of the Malian soccer federation (Femafoot) is launched from jail, the place he’s being held after being accused of embezzling public funds and forgery, the Guardian can reveal. In feedback that will contravene Fifa’s code of ethics, Patrice Motsepe additionally mentioned he and CAF have been “persistently partaking” with authorities in Mali over how one can get Mamatou Touré “out of jail”. Touré – a member of the influential Fifa council – stays in custody in Bamako after he was refused bail final week after an enchantment by public prosecutors. He was indicted on 9 August by the Malian authorities and accused of embezzling a reported $28m (£22.4m) from the state purse throughout his time as a monetary and administrative director in Mali’s nationwide meeting. Touré has denied the allegations and was re-elected as president of Femafoot for a second time period in September regardless of being behind bars. Fast Information How do I join sport breaking information alerts? Present Obtain the Guardian app from the iOS App Retailer on iPhone or the Google Play retailer…

Read MoreHead of African football says he wants to get Mali FA president out of jail | Football

Spanish FA head Luis Rubiales to resign as Fifa investigate World Cup final kiss | Fifa

Luis Rubiales, the president of Spain’s soccer federation (RFEF), plans to resign on Friday after the 46-year-old grew to become the topic of Fifa disciplinary proceedings in relation to his conduct on the Ladies’s World Cup ultimate in Sydney on Sunday. The Spanish radio station Cadena Ser reported on Thursday that Rubiales will lose his job after he confronted heavy criticism for kissing Spain’s Jennifer Hermoso on the lips throughout the trophy presentation. He additionally grabbed his crotch in celebrating his country’s 1-0 victory over England whereas standing near Spain’s Queen Letizia and her teenage daughter, Sofia. “The Fifa disciplinary committee knowledgeable Luis Rubiales, president of the Spanish FA, immediately that it’s opening disciplinary proceedings in opposition to him based mostly on the occasions that occurred throughout the ultimate of the Fifa Ladies’s World Cup on 20 August 2023,” soccer’s world governing physique stated on Thursday. “The occasions might represent violations of article 13 paragraphs 1 and a pair of of the Fifa Disciplinary Code. The Fifa disciplinary committee will solely present additional data on these disciplinary proceedings as soon as it has issued a ultimate determination on the matter. Fast Information How do I…

Read MoreSpanish FA head Luis Rubiales to resign as Fifa investigate World Cup final kiss | Fifa

Qatar World Cup organisers ‘failed to protect workers,’ claims Amnesty | Football politics

Amnesty Worldwide has accused Fifa and the Qatari authorities of failing to correctly handle a “sample of abuse in opposition to migrant employees” on the World Cup, a few of whom labored 12-hour shifts for as much as 38 days in succession with none day without work. A brand new investigation from the human rights physique additionally discovered that some employees who have been employed as safety guards and marshals needed to pay unlawful recruitment charges – that have been by no means repaid – and had promised extra time pay and bonuses withheld. Amnesty says the employees reported their remedy on the World Cup grievances hotline in November, however that no motion was taken. In a single case a employee claimed a supervisor threatened to fireplace him and others in retaliation for complaining. The newest investigation was primarily based on interviews with 22 males from Nepal, Kenya and Ghana, who have been amongst 1000’s of migrant employees employed by the Qatar-based firm Teyseer Safety Companies to work at World Cup websites, together with the Khalifa Worldwide Stadium, fan zones and the Corniche. Greater than a 3rd of these interviewed stated they needed to work…

Read MoreQatar World Cup organisers ‘failed to protect workers,’ claims Amnesty | Football politics

Players at 2023 Women’s World Cup to be paid fees directly by Fifa for first time | Women’s World Cup 2023

Fifa has revealed that gamers on the Girls’s World Cup subsequent month will earn particular person charges straight from the worldwide governing physique for the primary time. The successful group’s gamers will obtain $270,000 (£217,000) every in Australia and New Zealand, whereas every particular person competing within the group stage will earn $30,000 (£24,000). The quantity paid will improve the additional the group progresses and in lots of circumstances, the figures far exceed gamers’ salaries at their golf equipment. Fifa’s 2022 benchmarking report discovered the typical wage of paid gamers is $14,000 (£11,300). The gamers’ union, Fifpro, has praised the transfer because the “end result of great world collective motion by over 150 nationwide group gamers”. In November, Fifpro despatched a letter to Fifa signed by 150 worldwide gamers calling for larger fairness, each financially and in circumstances, and included a requirement for gamers to obtain a major share of prize cash straight. The gamers said within the letter: “Many gamers on the Girls’s World Cup come into the match as amateurs or semi-professional, which undermines their preparation and, in flip, the standard of soccer we see on the pitch. Many gamers don’t have any…

Read MorePlayers at 2023 Women’s World Cup to be paid fees directly by Fifa for first time | Women’s World Cup 2023

Lost in Roblox’s Fifa World – everything wrong with the metaverse in one place | Fifa

Almost each December throughout the UK, non permanent winter wonderland theme parks crop up, normally in out-of-town automotive parks or disused industrial websites. They promise hours of seasonal enjoyable with Santa’s grottos and magic sleigh rides – however what disillusioned households usually get is Santa’s static caravan lined in tinsel and two emaciated donkeys wearing plastic antlers dragging a wheelbarrow. Think about that, however on-line and with a bit more money behind it, and you’ve got Fifa World. Introduced through a typically histrionic press release, Fifa World is a “digital setting that celebrates the ability of soccer and the wealthy historical past of its pinnacle occasions”. Constructed into the massively profitable on-line multiplayer sport Roblox, which permits its 55 million each day customers to create their very own interactive areas (however which has additionally attracted big controversy for its enterprise mannequin of monetising childhood creativity), it’s a form of digital football-themed fete with a nine-hole soccer loopy golf course, the place you kick a soccer by numerous obstacles right into a purpose, and a soccer bowling problem, the place you kick a soccer at some skittles. Apart from that, there’s a mini soccer pitch with…

Read MoreLost in Roblox’s Fifa World – everything wrong with the metaverse in one place | Fifa

Fifa bans former Zimbabwe football official for sexual harassment | Fifa

Fifa has banned the previous secretary normal of the Zimbabwe Soccer Affiliation’s referees committee from all football-related actions for 5 years after discovering him responsible of sexually harassing three feminine officers. Obert Zhoya has additionally been fined 20,000 Swiss francs (£17,627) after an investigation by Fifa’s unbiased’s ethics committee. His ban comes after one alleged sufferer told the Guardian she had been “humiliated, intimidated and degraded” by Zhoya, claiming she had obtained a collection of WhatsApp messages from him asking her to spend the night time with him in a resort. “The adjudicatory chamber of the unbiased Ethics Committee has banned Mr Obert Zhoya, former secretary normal of the referees committee of the Zimbabwe Soccer Affiliation (Zifa) from all football-related actions for a period of 5 years, after having discovered him responsible of abusing his place to sexually harass three feminine Zifa referees,” learn a statement from Fifa on Thursday. “Upon cautious evaluation of the written statements of the victims in addition to the assorted proof collected through the investigations carried out by the investigatory chamber, the adjudicatory chamber was comfortably happy that Mr Zhoya had breached artwork. 23 (Safety of bodily and psychological integrity),…

Read MoreFifa bans former Zimbabwe football official for sexual harassment | Fifa

World Cup to begin on Sunday November 20 with Qatar to face Ecuador in opening match as FIFA decide to bring forward start date of tournament

The World Cup will begin a day sooner than scheduled with Qatar to tackle Ecuador on Sunday November 20. The Group A opener was because of be performed on November 21 at 4pm GMT, making it the third match of the competitors. Getty Qatar will tackle Ecuador on the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor on November 20 Senegal vs Netherlands was presupposed to be the opening match, with the Al Thumama Stadium conflict to kick off at 10am on the Monday. The match will now begin at 4pm. However following discussions with Qatar and Ecuador, world governing physique FIFA signed off on a proposal to maneuver the host nation’s opener. “The opening match and ceremony of this 12 months’s match at Al Bayt Stadium have been introduced ahead someday following a unanimous resolution taken by the Bureau of the FIFA Council immediately,” stated an announcement from soccer’s world governing physique. “The change ensures the continuity of a long-standing custom of marking the beginning of the FIFA World Cup with a gap ceremony on the event of the primary match that includes both the hosts or the defending champions. “The choice adopted an evaluation of…

Read MoreWorld Cup to begin on Sunday November 20 with Qatar to face Ecuador in opening match as FIFA decide to bring forward start date of tournament