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FIFA and the Building and Wood Workers’ International (BWI) have signed a landmark five-year agreement to strengthen workers’ rights and ensure safe, fair, and decent working conditions at all FIFA tournament projects worldwide.
Signed by BWI President Per-Olof Sjöö and FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström during BWI’s 20th anniversary celebrations, the accord runs until 2030.
It formalizes a long-standing partnership that has evolved over more than a decade, creating a structured system for joint inspections, training, and transparent reporting.
Under the agreement, FIFA and BWI will carry out joint labour inspections at FIFA World Cup™ and other tournament-related construction sites, protecting workers’ confidentiality and ensuring compliance with the International Labour Organization’s Labour Inspection Convention 081.
The partnership will also deliver training programs for workers’ representatives, focusing on grievance handling, health, and safety.
When violations or risks are found, FIFA will coordinate with third parties to implement corrective action plans, which both organizations will monitor until resolved.
Annual progress reports will be published through FIFA’s Human Rights and Sustainability Sub-Committee, highlighting key findings, improvements, and ongoing challenges.
The new deal builds on lessons from the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, where FIFA, BWI, and Qatar’s Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy collaborated to improve safety standards and grievance mechanisms — setting a new benchmark for social responsibility in global sports.
As FIFA prepares for future tournaments including the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, and upcoming events in Brazil, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, and Saudi Arabia, this agreement ensures those standards will continue to guide all projects.
“This agreement builds on years of partnership and experience,” said BWI General Secretary Ambet Yuson.
“It provides a clear process to monitor, prevent, and remedy abuses, ensuring that human rights commitments lead to real improvements for workers.”
FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström added:
“Like BWI, FIFA takes workers’ rights very seriously. Everyone involved in FIFA-related projects deserves fair pay, safe conditions, and social protection. When a country hosts a FIFA tournament, all who help make it possible should benefit.”
