The secretary-general of Qatar's Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy has said that at least 400 migrant workers died building the World Cup.
In an interview with presenter Piers Morgan, World Cup Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy secretary-general Hassan al-Thawadi was asked what "realistic total do you think of migrant workers who died as a result of work they're doing for the World Cup""
"The estimate is around 400, between 400 and 500," said Al-Thawadi. "I don't have the exact number. That's something that's been discussed."
The World Cup has been overshadowed by reports of human rights abuses connected to the large numbers of migrant workers who constructed the eight World Cup stadiums and associated infrastructure. In 2021, the Guardian reported that 6,500 migrant workers had died in the county since 2010. "One is death is a death too many"
However, football's governing body FIFA stated that there have been 37 deaths connected to the construction of the World Cup stadiums.
Al-Thawadi's comments are the first from a senior Qatar official that seem to contradict the official figures. However, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy later released a statement stating that Al-Thawadi was referring to "national statistics covering the period of 2014-2020 for all work-related fatalities (414) nationwide in Qatar, covering all sectors and nationalities".

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