Lawmakers explain why they went to Qatar for the World Cup despite human rights concerns: 'There are no perfect countries'

• Qatar's hosting of the 2022 World Cup has been controversial, given the country's human rights record.
• Rep. Ilhan Omar and Sen. Chris Murphy explained why they attended the games, despite that.

Qatar's hosting of the 2022 World Cup has not been without controversy, shining a light on the country's treatment of migrant workers and intolerance towards LGBTQ people.

Nonetheless, the United States sent a delegation, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and several members of Congress, to the games for the US team's opening match against Wales.

In interviews at the Capitol this week, two of those lawmakers — Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut — told Insider why they went to the tournament and how they balance the imperatives of pushing for human rights and accountability while engaging in diplomacy and enjoying the sport.

"I think that both of those things can happen," said Omar. "You can call for accountability, you can ask for justice, but you can also just enjoy the beauty of the game."

"They are an imperfect partner. There's a lot not to like about Qatari policy," said Murphy. "But in many ways, they are our best partner in the region."

In response to criticisms of the country's human rights record, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, has said that his country has been "subjected to an unprecedented campaign that no host country has ever faced" that has included "fabrications and double standards that were so ferocious that it has unfortunately prompted many people to question the real reasons and motives."

"Many of the people that we talked to understand that some of the criticism is warranted," said Omar.

The congresswoman also suggested that the 2026 World Cup may prompt similar conversations about human rights abuses in North America.

"We are slated to host the World Cup next with Mexico and Canada," she said, referring to the 2026 World Cup. "I wonder what kinds of conversations will be had, and how many people will object to that happening with the history of indigenous people, of enslavement, of police brutality."

"In the world that we're living in right now, and the way in which we understand history, there are no perfect countries that have a perfect record," she added.

Human rights abuses in Qatar

An area of particular concern has been the Gulf state's labor practices. Migrant workers make up the vast majority of the small country's labor force, and under the kafala system, migrants are often entirely dependent on their employer to grant them entry and even allow them to leave the country, leading to abuses.

Furthermore, somewhere between 400 and 500 migrant workers died while building tournament-related facilities, according to one Qatari official, though human rights groups have estimated that the number is in the thousands.

Some reforms to the system have been made in recent years, but in practice, problems remain.

"There's been a lot of pressure on Qatar to reform their treatment of workers," said Murphy, noting that the workers were "essentially indentured" prior to the tournament. "The spotlight of the World Cup has caused Qatar to make a lot of important reforms to their employment law."

"I've always talked to them about the issue of treatment of workers," added Murphy, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who has visited the country several times.

Omar noted that she and other lawmakers had in September sent a letter to FIFA, the organization that oversees the World Cup, calling on the organization to establish a compensation fund for workers who've suffered abuse in the lead-up to the tournament.

Qatar's poor record on LGBTQ issues has also received significant scrutiny. According to Human Rights Watch, LGBTQ people have been subjected to arbitrary arrests and ill-treatment in detention. Additionally, same-sex relationships are criminalized. In response, some soccer players had planned to wear "One Love" armbands, but backed down under threat of punishment from FIFA. Fans wearing rainbow colors have also reportedly been denied entry to facilities.Blinken criticized FIFA for suppressing players' freedom of expression during his trip.

Murphy, for his part, told Insider he couldn't recall LGBTQ rights being brought up with Qatari officials while in the country. "We're always pressing for greater political and social freedom in those countries," he offered.

Omar, a member of the House Foreign Relations Committee, said that a range of issues had been raised during a meeting with Qatari foreign minister Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani.

"Some will say it should be apolitical, but there's always a political element to it," said Omar. "Those opportunities did present themselves."

'I don't fault people for raising their concerns'

Even as Qatar has faced criticism for its human rights record, many have found reason to celebrate; it's the first World Cup to be held in the Arab world, a feat that has inspired pride from Arabs and Muslims alike.

"I don't fault people for raising their concerns. That is important," said Omar. "I think it is also important to realize that there are people who, for the love of the sport, will show up no matter where the game is being held."

"I don't think that should really negate the fact that this being held in Qatar is historic, and there are a lot of people who are celebrating that historic achievement," she added.

Both Murphy and Omar noted the importance of Qatar, which hosts the Al Udeid Air Base, the largest American air base in the region, as an ally. The Gulf state provided shelter for evacuating Afghan refugees in the wake of the American pull-out in 2021, and has assisted the US in negotiating a relationship with the Taliban.

Murphy noted that he'd "worked very closely with the Yemenis" to spur Qatar to make a monetary commitment to the World Food Programme.

And he noted that Qatar wasn't the only country in the region with a concerning record that the US nonetheless counts as a partner.

"That's a region in which there are a lot of US partners that have pretty significantly blemished records on political rights and worker rights," he said.