The death of migrant workers in Qatar is a tragic consequence of a long-term disregard for the life and rights of these workers. As Qatar rapidly developed in recent years, the country has become increasingly dependent on migrant workers, who make up a large share of the country's population. According to a report by The Guardian, more than 6,500 migrant workers including those from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka have died in Qatar since the country won the right to host the World Cup in 2010, subject to inhumane living and working conditions in the country.

The Qatari government has been constantly criticised for its treatment of migrant workers, by many human and labour rights organizations. The workers live in overcrowded and unsanitary labour camps, which lack basic amenities such as clean water, electricity, and adequate healthcare. They are made to work for long hours in hazardous conditions, with no workplace safety ensured by the employer, paid low or no wages, and have no social security. One of the main factors contributing to the exploitation of migrant workers in Qatar is the kafala system. Often criticized as a modern-day form of slavery, Kafala is a sponsorship system that ties a worker’s legal status to their employer. Under this system, workers are unable to change jobs or leave the country without their employer’s permission, leaving them vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup, then, brought to the forefront vulnerabilities faced by these workers in Qatar. The cost of construction for the tournament's infrastructure, which included stadiums, hotels, and transport links, was the life of thousands of migrant workers. Their deaths have been attributed to inhuman living and working conditions they were being subjected to, which could have been prevented if proper occupational health and safety measures were adopted by the Qatari authorities.

The deaths of migrant workers in Qatar have not only raised questions about the government's responsibility, but also FIFA's responsibility in ensuring the rights and safety of these workers. FIFA had the power to enforce its own human rights standards through its World Cup Sustainability Strategy, which sets out a number of commitments aimed at ensuring that the tournament is held in a sustainable and socially responsible manner. However, critics argue that FIFA had not done enough to ensure that these commitments are being met and that it did not play a proactive role in protecting the rights of the workers despite there being evidence of the violations.  This raises serious concerns about the ethics and responsibilities of hosting such major international events. The situation of migrant workers in Qatar garnered widespread attention from the international community, with many calling for action to be taken to address the human rights abuses faced by these workers. 

In response to the constant criticism, the Qatari government in 2017, entered into a technical cooperation program with the International Labour Organization (ILO), to improve the country's labour standards and promote decent work for all workers. As a part of the program, some reforms have been introduced by the government such as the abolition of the Kafala system, increasing minimum wages for migrant workers, etc.

While Qatar has taken a significant step towards reforming its laws to protect the rights of migrant workers, it is important that these laws are enforced rigorously, with an effective monitoring system to ensure proper implementation if they were to benefit the workers.