Why celebrities are boycotting the FIFA World Cup 2022

The Qatar FIFA World Cup is taking the world by storm, but not necessarily everyone supports this mega sports event this year. Celebrities have been seen to boycott this year’s World Cup. The controversy is not about the sport itself, but rather on human right abuses and its treatment of migrant workers in Qatar. This also includes its stance on homosexuality, which is illegal in Qatar. It was reported in The Guardian that 6,500 migrant workers had died in Qatar since it won the right to host the World Cup.

There were rumours that Dua Lipa would be performing at the opening ceremony, but the speculation doesn’t seem to be true. On her Instagram stories, she posted “I will not be performing and nor have I ever been involved in any negotiation to perform. I will be cheering England on from afar. I look forward to visiting Qatar when it has fulfilled all the human rights pledges it made when it won the right to host the World Cup.”

David Beckham also faces pressure after signing a $10 million deal to be a 2022 Qatar World Cup ambassador. However, he’s aware of the country’s stance on the LGBTQ+ community. “Of course, David wanted to ensure that he was informed about the facts and any concerns that he might have for his gay friends, football supporters and fans,” said a source close to the former Manchester United star.

The Columbian popstar, Shakira was also set to be a guest performer, but has decided that she won’t be performing at the last minute. It in unclear why she will not be performing this year. She has previously performed in Germany (2006), South Africa (2010) and Brazil (2014).