- Human Rights Groups Call for Systemic Transformation to Prevent History Repeating Itself
FIFA’s current crisis spotlights the need for governance reforms and transparent systems to protect human rights, the Sport & Rights Alliance said today. Though Gianni Infantino’s FIFA Forward Enterprise (FFE) proposal has been rightly withdrawn, the growing calls for further measures should also address the deeper human rights crisis that, if ignored, risks yet another system that tolerates corruption and covers up abuses.
“The person who leads FIFA matters a great deal, but the bigger problem is systemic. The landscape for human rights, transparency and good governance will not improve if FIFA’s structures are not addressed,” said Andrea Florence, Executive Director of the Sport & Rights Alliance. “This crisis must spur long-overdue reforms to finally embed human rights protections at the heart of world football. Only a systemic transformation that addresses the many abuses linked to FIFA’s operations will prevent history repeating itself.”
The current turmoil within FIFA is reminiscent of the worst corruption crisis in the organization’s history, in 2015, when the United States Department of Justice indicted dozens of football officials with racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering. Despite this scandal, Sepp Blatter was re-elected as FIFA president days later, though he eventually stepped down. During the 2016 election, the Sport & Rights Alliance asked all five candidates to commit to six clear steps to mitigating rights abuses. Gianni Infantino was elected as Blatter’s successor, promising change and affirming that “FIFA is fully committed to respecting human rights.”
“We have seen enough crises at FIFA to know that simply replacing leadership is not enough,” said Ronan Evain, Executive Director of Football Supporters Europe. “FIFA needs systemic reform grounded in a clear roadmap for the organisation’s work on human rights and good governance. This should include a full review and re-structure of the FIFA Ethics Committee and a time-bound human rights strategy that has clear objectives and centers the rights of everyone impacted by its tournaments and operations.”
Later in 2016, the FIFA Statutes were amended to include human rights as part of its provisions, a Human Rights Policy was adopted, and an independent Human Rights Advisory Board (HRAB) established. The HRAB produced five important reports, but was later disbanded by Gianni Infantino and most of their recommendations never implemented. In particular, FIFA has still yet to develop a human rights strategy to embed human rights into the organization’s decision-making with a “focus on the political and governance level” as recommended.
“Now is the moment for FIFA to re-establish an independent human rights advisory body to oversee good governance, transparency and human rights – and ensure the credibility of its approach moving forwards,” said Tor Dølvik, Special Adviser at Transparency International Norway, on behalf of the global anti-corruption movement. “A system of checks and balances is the backbone of corruption prevention. By ensuring transparency, accountability and independent oversight, it also provides the foundation for any credible human rights framework.”
Contrary to Gianni Infantino’s social media statements, the largest, “most inclusive” World Cup in history saw many human rights abuses and significant sportswashing. This was no surprise given FIFA’s previous dilution of its Host City Human Rights Framework and Infantino’s worryingly close relationship with the U.S. President Donald Trump, to whom he gave the newly-created FIFA Peace Prize without any criteria or process.
“FIFA’s failure to follow through on its human rights commitments has tarnished Gianni Infantino’s decade as president. FIFA has still not financially compensated families of thousands of migrant workers who died to deliver the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and with the Saudi 2034 World Cup looming, has done nothing to establish an essential human rights remedy fund to compensate migrant workers and others who could be harmed by FIFA’s operations,” said Minky Worden, director of global initiatives at Human Rights Watch. “Whoever leads FIFA should commit to good governance and transparent systems that uphold human rights.”
The human rights risks of the 2030 and 2034 Men’s World Cup, documented in a report by Amnesty International and the Sport & Rights Alliance, and unresolved failures from the 2022 World Cup, make FIFA’s governance reform and human rights strategy even more urgent. Under Infantino, FIFA ignored the calls in its own report and never delivered remedy or compensation for abuses related to the tournament in Qatar. The football governing body also neglected to ensure a competitive process for either the 2030 or 2034 World Cups, resulting in sole bidders for each tournament and sham human rights strategies. Given the scale of the risks in Saudi Arabia in particular, in November 2024, the SRA called to halt the process ahead of voting for the 2034 tournament.
“The global football community has finally shown that it can mobilise to stand up to FIFA when it deems an issue to be important enough. It is now also time for FIFA’s members to advocate just as powerfully for changes that will ensure far greater respect for human rights,” said Steve Cockburn, Amnesty International‘s Regional Director for Europe. “Genuine change at FIFA will be measured by whether or not workers in Qatar finally receive compensation, meaningful human rights safeguards are introduced for future World Cups, and independent oversight systems are given real teeth.”
Transformation in global football governance should also include a shift in FIFA leadership’s relationship with the media. Infantino’s press conference at the opening of the 2026 World Cup, where he told journalists asking questions about visa denials to “chill and relax,” was his first since 2023.
“Press freedom is a cornerstone of human rights and good governance, as journalists’ work enables the protection and fulfillment of all other human rights by ensuring accountability, uncovering injustices, and raising awareness of human rights risks and abuses,” said Antoine Bernard, Director of Advocacy and Assistance of Reporters Without Borders (RSF). “As custodians of the beautiful game, FIFA should commit itself to transparency and independent oversight, conducting regular press conferences and welcoming accountability. After all, football belongs to the fans, and the news media are their eyes and ears both on and off the pitch.”
At this critical juncture, the Sport & Rights Alliance calls on FIFA and all its member associations to ensure systemic transformation that guarantees accountability for human rights and good governance, including by taking these first steps:
- Re-establish a permanent, independent Human Rights Advisory Board, composed of a diverse group of esteemed human rights and good governance experts, to hold FIFA’s leadership and the FIFA Council accountable for how they integrate human rights into their decision-making;
- Comprehensively reform the FIFA Ethics Committee by establishing an independent, transparent, external and accountable ethics system, with transparent appointments of experts with meaningful human rights and good governance backgrounds; and trauma-informed procedures for receiving, investigating, and adjudicating complaints;
- Adopt a dedicated and time-bound Human Rights Strategy, that provides an organizational roadmap for human rights and good governance with meaningful and ongoing engagement with potentially affected stakeholders;
- Re-evaluate all future host agreements to ensure binding human rights commitments, including for the 2030 and 2034 Men’s World Cups, and set up a Remedy Fund for people impacted by the 2022 Qatar World Cup and all future tournaments;
- Re-instate regular, robust and transparent avenues for public accountability, including regular press conferences with FIFA leadership and meaningful engagement with a diverse, global community of journalists.
As representatives of athletes, fans, workers, journalists, grassroots organizations and communities – especially women, LGBTI+ people, people of color, survivors of abuse, and youth – the Sport & Rights Alliance takes this moment to collectively reassure our commitment to ensuring the sport and business of football is an authentic force for good.
About the Sport & Rights Alliance
The Sport & Rights Alliance’s mission is to promote the rights and well-being of those most affected by human rights risks associated with the delivery of sport. Its partners include Amnesty International, The Assist, Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI), Football Supporters Europe, Human Rights Watch, ILGA World – The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Transparency International, and World Players Association, UNI Global Union. As a global coalition of leading nongovernmental organizations and trade unions, the Sport & Rights Alliance works together to ensure sports bodies, governments, and other relevant stakeholders give rise to a world of sport that protects, respects, and fulfills international standards for human rights, labour rights, child wellbeing and safeguarding, and anti-corruption.