Since Qatar was awarded the World Cup in 2010, its labor force has increased by about 1 millionworkers. By 2021, migrants made up over 95% of the country’s labor force.

In 2019, the Arab states had the highest percentage of migrant workers in its labor force of any subregion, at 41%. FIFA’s choice to host the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which some allege was influenced by bribes, has been controversial in part due to concerns about forced labor and human trafficking.

Several countries in the Arab region have struggled with their human trafficking policies for years, according to the report. Syria, for example, has been designated Tier 3 for more than a decade. Saudi Arabia, which is making a bid for the 2030 World Cup, improved to Tier 2 in 2021, before which it was designated either Tier 2 Watchlist or Tier 3. Qatar is currently designated Tier 2, having slowly improved its rating since the early 2000s.

Many hope that the spotlight brought to the region due to the World Cup will affect long-lasting change to labor laws and migrant rights, but others are skeptical.