CNN —Australia’s men’s footballers, the “Socceroos,” have called for reform in Qatar ahead of next month’s World Cup.
In a video message produced by Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) and released on Wednesday, 16 Socceroos called on the host country to recognize and legalize same-sex marriage and improve the rights of migrant workers.
The PFA also released an open letter to Qatar expressing the need for reform.
The report – “categorically” denied by tournament organizers – did not connect all 6,500 deaths with World Cup infrastructure projects and has not been independently verified by CNN.
The 2022 World Cup kicks off on November 20 and runs through December 18 in the Gulf nation.