World Cup Chief Hassan Al-Thawadi said that 400 to 500 migrant workers died since Qatar won the right to host the World Cup. When asked during a TV interview the number of people who died while constructing the infrastructures of the tournament, he said that around 400 to 500 people lost their lives in the preparation leading up to the tournament that started from November 20. “I don’t have the exact figure but I think 400 to 500 people died while building World Cup facilities,” he said, adding, “One death is a death too many, it's plain and simple," he continued.

“I think every year the health and safety standards on the sites are improving, at least on our sites, the World Cup sites, the ones that we’re responsible for, most definitely,” he further said.

The World Cup has been shrouded in controversy ever since Qatar won the bid in December 2010. Last year, the Guardian had reported that 6,500 South Asian migrant workers have died in Qatar since the country was awarded the World Cup in 2010. most of whom were involved in low-wage, dangerous labor, often undertaken in extreme heat.