FIFA: To Boycott, or Not to Boycott, That is the Question

In this episode, Alex discusses growing calls to boycott the FIFA World Cup that starts on November 20th in Qatar. Hosting the event in Qatar feels antithetical to the values of the sport and many nations involved. Then he spends the podcast looking into the controversies centered around the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). He uses the Qatar World Cup which will be played in November 2022, to discuss the issues this organization continues to face. Alex looks into the exploitation of workers in many of the countries where the World Cup takes place (such as South Africa, Brazil, and Qatar). Then he looks into the wasteful infrastructure projects that have been required for a World Cup. He finds that the projects are expensive, wasteful, neglect labor laws, and usually use vast state resources for only a few weeks of use. Later he looks into the bribery scandals, corruption charges, and FIFA’s close relationships with despots and illiberal regimes. Alex ends by talking about how inside reform is crucial because it reflects how other non-profit, international organizations are held accountable on the global stage.