In a letter to the Confederation of African Football (Caf) president Patrice Motsepe, the union said it is concerned that workers trooping to the Gulf State ahead of the World Cup could be mistreated.
ITUC-Africa through its general secretary Joel Odigie insisted that the two governing bodies must ensure Saudi Arabia commits to protect the rights of all migrant workers.
He said this must be done before they vote to ratify Saudi’s bid to host the games.
“As Fifa prepares to vote to ratify Saudi Arabia as the host of the 2034 Fifa World Cup, ITUC-Africa urges Caf to compel Fifa to take a firm stance on human rights issues.
“Fifa must ensure that the rights and dignity of all workers, particularly African migrant workers, are respected and protected,” part of the letter Odigie reads.
The lobby group urged Fifa and Caf to demand inclusive, collaborative labour reforms to protect workers’ rights and enforce labour laws in the country.
It has also requested for an independent monitoring body to oversee the treatment of workers involved in World Cup preparations and operations and ensure compliance with international human rights and labour standards.
ITUC-Africa further wants the Gulf state to give regular updates on the progress made in implementing labour reforms.
Saudi Arabia officials have consistently been forced to deny allegations of human rights violations, including freedoms for women, prosecutions for freedom of speech, and use of the death penalty.
In the kingdom’s first formal review recently held at the UN Human Rights Council since November 2018, a Saudi Arabia delegation said more than 50 reforms had since then been passed in favor of women.
Delegates were further told Saudi Arabia has abolished flogging as a punishment, that minors can no longer be executed, judges are independent and migrant workers are now better protected by law.
Saudi Arabia officially submitted its bid to host the FIFA World Cup 2034, the world’s most prestigious sports event, at a ceremony in Paris, France in June 2024.
The World Cup brings together the most popular national teams and players from around the world and is watched by an estimated 3 billion audiences.