BWI Accuses FIFA of Blocking Labour Inspection at Azteca Stadium

The Building and Wood Workers' International (BWI) has accused FIFA of blocking a labour inspection at Mexico City's Azteca Stadium, one of the venues for the 2026 World Cup.

BWI representatives claim they were denied access to inspect the working conditions of construction workers renovating the stadium, which has been closed for renovations since May 2024.

FIFA also withdrew from an agreement to conduct joint inspections in Mexico, Canada, and the United States, the three co-hosts for next year’s tournament.

BWI argues that there has been insufficient oversight of labour rights at World Cup sites, particularly in Mexico.

Ambet Yuson, the general secretary of BWI, criticized FIFA for not taking responsibility for worker safety, stating, "FIFA keeps promising the world a spectacle while dodging its responsibility to the very workers making it possible."

Yuson emphasized that FIFA's failure to guarantee basic worker protections could result in more preventable deaths on construction sites.

FIFA, however, stated that the renovation of Azteca Stadium is not directly managed by them, but they are working with stakeholders to monitor worker conditions.

BWI pointed out that only 7% of construction workers in Mexico are part of a union, leaving them vulnerable to poor working conditions.