With just over 18 months to go until the World Cup kicks off in a unique winter edition in the Middle East, organizers FIFA and hosts Qatar have come under renewed scrutiny for the country’s human rights record.
According to a report in the Guardian in February, more than 6,500 migrant workers have lost their lives in Qatar since it won the right to host the FIFA showpiece back in 2010.
When qualifying for the 2022 World Cup began in March, players from Germany and Norway wore T-shirts bearing messages promoting human rights in a public show of support after the shocking claims.
But going one step further, a large majority of the UK population believes that home nations England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland should boycott the tournament altogether if they qualify, according to research conducted by Danish company RunRepeat.
In a survey online, 81.04% of just over 1,000 respondents in the UK agreed when asked if the home nations should refuse to play in Qatar.
An even higher number (81.34%) believed that FIFA should strip the Middle Eastern nation of the right to hold the tournament and move the sporting spectacular elsewhere.