Report: Qatar Evicts Foreign Workers Ahead of World Cup

Qatar has evicted thousands of foreign workers from the apartment blocks that they were living in in the center of Doha ahead of the World Cup in order to house fans visiting for the international soccer tournament. The Asian and African workers have been forced to look for shelter elsewhere in the city, including sleeping in the street, Reuters first reported. Some of the workers were given only two hours to vacate their living quarters.

A Qatari government official told Reuters that the evictions were not connected to the World Cup and were undertaken “in line with ongoing comprehensive and long-term plans to reorganize areas of Doha.” The FIFA World Cup 2022 is set to begin on November 20.

Some 85% of the 3 million people who live in Qatar are foreign workers.