The European human rights working group in talks with FIFA has given football’s world governing body an ultimatum and wants the association to make a decision by the end of October on a compensation fund for migrant workers who suffered during the construction of stadiums for the World Cup in Qatar.

FIFA previously promised to come before the summer, but with the World Cup looming, the federation remains silent on the issue.

Last Wednesday, the working group and world football’s governing body sat around the same table. However, this has not yet had the desired effect and there is now a demand for a statement to be made quickly.

Gijs de Jong, general secretary of the KNVB, does not yet say what the consequences will be if FIFA delays again. He is a member of the European working group on human rights, in which he works with the German, English and Scandinavian football associations, among others.

“Definitely we are going in that direction, but we will think about what to do if this is not arranged,” says De Jong. He believes FIFA “won’t like the ultimatum very much” but still believes clarity will come soon. “We’ve been working on it for a year and a half now. We’re now five weeks away from the World Cup. It’s time for clarity.”

Last month, the KNVB, via a UEFA working group, increased pressure on FIFA to set up a compensation fund for migrants. Since May, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and unions have been asking FIFA to set up a fund to compensate workers for damages. They’re asking for $440 million. A number of major World Cup sponsors have also joined.

FIFA still speaks of three deaths

FIFA responded in a letter sent to the UEFA working group on September 28 and held by the NOS. In the letter, FIFA says it recognizes the importance of compensating migrant workers in Qatar and that the families of the three workers who died building the World Cup stadiums have been compensated.

Letter from FIFA:

Investigative journalists and human rights organizations estimate that around 6,500 people were killed. Amnesty International’s Ruud Bosgraaf earlier this week responded to FIFA’s statement that there had been three victims. “That’s many tens of thousands of workers who died, were injured or never received their full wages.”

In addition to a compensation fund, the KNVB also wants to set up so-called migrant centers in Qatar. These centers should continue to focus on the rights of migrant workers after the World Cup. Talks are going on about that too. “But we want commitments,” says De Jong. It’s not surprising that they won’t be there when the World Cup starts in five weeks, says De Jong, “but we want FIFA to speak clearly.

Check out the report the NOS produced earlier this week in response to FIFA’s letter: