As the FIFA men’s World Cup comes to North America this year— officials were looking to avoid another human rights scandal that have marred World Cups in the past. For the first time, they required the 16 participating host cities to submit detailed reports addressing three key themes: workers’ rights, access to remedy, and inclusion and safeguarding, along with any other relevant concerns specific to each city.
Plans from Vancouver and Toronto still have major gaps, advocates for human rights have said. Canada’s host cities failed to put measures in place that would prevent displacement for those who rely on public spaces and critical infrastructure supports. One notable example is The Better Living Centre in Liberty Village, a winter respite facility that closed prematurely due to its proximity to the Toronto Stadium.
While more recently reports came from the Toronto Underhoused and Homeless Union (TUHU), alleging that security agents have been harassing unhoused individuals at Union Station, alongside increased displacement in the area.
David Roberts, an associate professor of urban studies at the University of Toronto, told Met Radio that hosting global events of this scale creates pressures that exacerbate already-existing inequalities in cities and rather than making long-term investments, the ‘knee-jerk reaction’ often is to turn to policing and displacement.
Roberts has been researching the impact of men’s FIFA tournaments on host cities for the last two decades. He walks us through the new human rights framework, what lessons we’ve learned from past sporting events and where there is still more work to be done.