Copenhagen: Thousands of goals scored in Danish soccer in November will raise money for migrant workers who helped build World Cup projects in Qatar, Denmark’s soccer federation.
It is the latest show of support for workers in Qatar from Denmark, whose national team will wear specially toned-down World Cup jerseys including a black option to honor those who died in the past decade.
Every goal scored in Denmark in November — from grass roots games to the top-tier Superliga — will earn 10 kroner (about $1.30) donated by soccer authorities.
The Danish federation said there were 55,000 goals in November 2021. An equivalent number this year would raise about $73,000.
The money will go to the BWI (International Federation of Building and Wood Workers) trades union to target construction workers in Qatar.
Qatar has been fiercely criticized for the physical and contractual conditions of workers, mostly from south Asia, needed to build stadiums, metro lines, roads and hotels needed for the month-long tournament that starts Nov. 20.
The exact number of migrant workers who have died or were injured working in often extreme heat on projects since FIFA picked Qatar as World Cup host in December 2010 is unclear. Definitive data has been hard to verify or not published by authorities.
Denmark, the 10th-ranked team in international men’s soccer, will play in a World Cup group with defending champion France, Australia and Tunisia.
Australian players highlighted Qatar’s human rights record in a video published last week that called for reform as a legacy of staging the World Cup.
AP
