The international football governing body has sent a letter to all 32 World Cup teams, urging them to “focus on the football” in Qatar and not let the sport “be dragged into every ideological or political battle that exists”.
The letter from FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Secretary-General Fatma Samoura follows several protests made by World Cup teams on issues ranging from LGBTQ rights to concerns over the treatment of migrant workers, who have been vital in constructing World Cup facilities.
Infantino wrote: “At FIFA, we try to respect all opinions and beliefs, without handing out moral lessons to the rest of the world.
“Please, let’s now focus on the football!”
“We know football does not live in a vacuum and we are equally aware that there are many challenges and difficulties of a political nature all around the world.
“But please do not allow football to be dragged into every ideological or political battle that exists.”
“One of the great strengths of the world is indeed its very diversity, and if inclusion means anything, it means having respect for that diversity. No one people or culture or nation is ‘better’ than any other.
“This principle is the very foundation stone of mutual respect and non-discrimination. And this is also one of the core values of football. So, please let’s all remember that and let football take centre stage.”
Infantino says everyone will be welcome in Qatar “regardless of origin, background, religion, gender, sexual orientation or nationality”.
The build-up to the competition, which starts in Qatar on November 20, has been overshadowed by a raft of social issues surrounding the Islamic nation’s human rights record.
There has been concerns about the suffering of low-paid migrant workers to build the infrastructure in the tiny Gulf nation and discriminatory laws that criminalise same-sex relations.