Thousands of migrant workers are likely to die in Saudi Arabia as a result of a building boom fuelled by the 2034 men’s World Cup and other major construction projects, human rights groups have warned.

The Gulf kingdom has seen a surge in demand for cheap migrant labour, with a significant increase in foreign workers since 2021, as it starts preparations for hosting the World Cup and drives forward projects including the futurist megacity Neom.

In two reports released on Wednesay, human rights groups said workers face severe risks to life and have criticised the lack of transparency surrounding the deaths of migrant workers.

“Hundreds of thousands of young men … are being pitched into a labour system that poses a serious risk to their lives,” said James Lynch, a co-director of FairSquare, which has written a report on the risks faced by workers…

In response to the Guardian’s request for comment, Fifa shared a letter it had sent to HRW in which it stated: “Fifa seeks to play its part in ensuring strong protections for workers employed by third parties in the construction of Fifa World Cup sites. This work involves a close collaboration with its Saudi counterparts and engagements with relevant international labour organisations …