The 2022 Men's Football World Cup in Qatar has been drenched in scandal from the moment it was announced.

That controversy has only grown as the small nation has prepared to host the 31 other countries that will be participating in the tournament.

Human rights abuses have been widely reported in the building of stadiums. With estimates suggesting thousands of migrant workers have died in build-up to the tournament.

Now there are also concerns for fans, given Qatar is a nation where alcohol is illegal and homosexuality is punishable by death.

So how does all this fit into FIFA’s desired image of being a progressive organisation helping the game? Have we learnt anything from this fiasco? And where does this leave fans who love the game but question what FIFA stands for?

Today, NZ Herald sports reporter Michael Burgess joins Damien for a discussion about the most controversial world cup of all time.

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Host: Damien Venuto
Producer: Shaun D Wilson
Executive Producer: Ethan Sills

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Qatar World Cup - why is the event causing such controversy?