World Cup chief admits between 400-500 migrant workers have died

won the bid to host

in 2010, and since then has been criticised for human rights issues, its treatment of migrant workers, and the illegality of homosexuality.

The Guardian reported in February 2021 that 6,500 migrant workers had lost their lives in Qatar since they were awarded the World Cup.

Qatar previously announced that only 40 migrant workers had died but now World Cup chief Hassan Al-Thawadi has revealed that between 400 and 500 migrant workers have died in an interview with Piers Morgan.

"The estimate is around 400, between 400 and 500,"

he told Piers Morgan in an interview with TalkTV.

"I don't have the exact number; that's something that's been discussed. One death is a death too many, plain and simple.

"I think every year the health and safety standards on the sites are improving, at least on our sites. The World Cup sites that we were responsible for, most definitely to the extent that you've got trade unions commending the work that's been done on the World Cup sites and the improvements."

Al-Thawadi also admitted that the health and safety standard for workers must improve in Qatar.

He said:

"I think overall the need for labour reform itself dictates that yes, improvements have to happen.

"Just so we're clear, this was something we recognised before we bid. The improvements that have already happened aren't because of the World Cup. These are improvements we knew that we had to do because of our own values.

"Improvements that had to happen whether it's our health and safety standards, whether it's in terms of improving the accommodation standards, whether it's in terms of dismantling the Kafala System.

"The World Cup served as a vehicle, an accelerator, as a catalyst because of the spotlight which we recognised early on was going to be shed. It caused a lot of initiative not only in terms of improvement in isolation but in terms of enforcing it as well.

"That's where today we got to a position where our most ardent of critics consider us to be a benchmark in the region."

Al-Thawadi also was asked whether Qatar is a safe place for the LGBTQ+ community to visit.

"It's safe for everybody to be in Qatar, yes. Unequivocally, Piers, yes. I think it's safe for everybody to live in Qatar, Piers. From our position, and my personal position, we've always said everyone's welcome.

"We've worked hard to create an environment and to ensure that people from all parts of the world, all walks of life come into Qatar, engage and interact with people from the Arab world and the Middle East even though we might not see eye to eye on certain things, even though we might not agree on certain things, but everyone is welcome."

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