logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2022
24m 35s

Qatar World Cup

Bbc World Service
About this episode

It’s 12 years since Qatar was announced as the host country for the men’s World Cup football tournament. Awarding the event to Qatar was a controversial decision at the time and still is, on several levels. The country has strict anti-LGBTQ+ laws, and women's rights are the subject of ongoing debate. More recently, treatment of the 30,000 migrant labourers, who built many of the tournament's stadiums and infrastructure has been severely criticised. James Reynolds has been talking to fans around the globe, including gay rights activists, and hears from women living in Qatar, as the eyes of the world turn to their country.

Up next
Today
The Shiralee: D'Arcy Niland's 1955 Australian western
<p>The Shiralee is a 1955 novel by D'Arcy Niland, telling the story of a wandering swagman on a journey through the Australian outback, accompanied by his 10-year-old daughter. It was made into a 1957 film by Ealing Studios, starring Peter Finch, and now it is being brought to th ... Show More
24m 34s
Nov 22
Inside India's war on Maoists
<p>For nearly 60 years, the Indian government has been fighting a violent group of Maoists in the country. They are followers of the late Chinese leader, Mao Zedong and have carried out bombings and killings in different parts of India. Now, the Indian authorities claim to be on ... Show More
26m 29s
Nov 22
Raising children on a warming planet
<p>Another round of global climate talks is taking place at the COP30 summit, but some are questioning whether there is much point to these gatherings. We bring people together who have decided to take their own action. One guest, Gwynn, suggests the best way to save the planet i ... Show More
23m 35s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2022
Qatar’s World Cup gamble
The Gulf state of Qatar is currently hosting the most expensive Fifa World Cup ever having spent an estimated $220 billion on the event. Seven of the eight stadiums have been built from scratch with new railways, motorways and dozens of new hotels also adding to the cost. It’s th ... Show More
49m 6s
Nov 2022
Qatar’s Big Bet on the World Cup
<p>The World Cup, the biggest single sporting event on the planet, began earlier this month. By the time the tournament finishes, half the global population is expected to have watched. </p><p>The 2022 World Cup has also been the focus of over a decade of controversy because of i ... Show More
34m 14s
Dec 2022
World Cup: LGBT+ Qataris feel ‘removed’ from the conversation
The World Cup in Qatar put the country’s record on human rights and laws on homosexuality into the international spotlight. Same sex-relations are banned under Islamic law. Qatari law calls for a prison sentence of one to three years for "inducing or seducing a male or a female i ... Show More
13m 9s
Nov 2022
Qatar's World Cup
Football, aka soccer, is life. At least, it is for many people across the globe. There are few things that are universally beloved but this sport comes close. And as teams on nearly every continent prepare for the start of the World Cup, all eyes are on one tiny country at the ti ... Show More
51m 48s
Nov 2022
Qatar World Cup: Has football become a side show?
32 teams are competing in the FIFA World Cup being held in Qatar. It’s the first winter championship and first tournament to be held in the Middle East. But the choice of host has come under scrutiny; homosexuality is illegal in Qatar, and poor conditions for migrant workers buil ... Show More
18m 36s