Good luck to England but I won’t be watching the World Cup

This is not a tournament where all fans feel welcome, writes Harriet Williamson

The controversy around it is impossible to square with a sense of enjoyment or togetherness (AFP via Getty)

On Sunday, World Cup 2022 opened in Doha, Qatar. The eyes of the world are on the small, oil-rich, Middle Eastern nation, and the run-up to football’s most prestigious tournament has been dominated by discussion of the country’s poor human rights record.

From a legal system that still discriminates against women and the criminalisation of homosexuality, to the migrant workers who have paid for vast development projects – costing around $200bn (£168bn) – with their lives, this World Cup feels tainted for many.

Although Qatar has announced numerous reforms, the enforcement of them remains questionable. David Harding, The Independent’s international editor, spoke to the grieving families of migrant workers in a must-read feature.