40 Three Lions fans are being paid to travel to Qatar, support the national team and promote positive PR regarding the tournament, which kicks off on November 20.
Qatar has come under fire for their strict laws on same-sex relationships, as well as their treatment of migrant workers and human rights record.
According to The Times, the fans will be expected to: “Deliver positive messages about the experience, sing certain songs when requested and report critical social media posts.”
The supporters will receive “free flights and apartment accommodation, £60 a day in spending money loaded on to a Visa card and complimentary tickers after signing a ‘code of conduct.’”
They will be told to sit together and sing at “appropriate times for the television cameras”.
Nations aim to make a statement amid ongoing controversy
Several nations in the tournament have aimed to make a statement before the competition begins. The Australia squad released a video “addressing the issues” of the treatment of workers, which can be found below:
Australia has become the first team to release a group statement criticising Qatar for its poor human rights record.
Watch their video statement ?
Read more: https://t.co/J2WsSPfpsw pic.twitter.com/91JKcfkJtE
— Sky News (@SkyNews) October 27, 2022
Captains from England, France, Germany and other European nations will don a ‘One Love’ armband to signify their stance on equality and anti-discrimination. Denmark will also wear a ‘toned-down’ kit as they insist they “don’t want to be visible during a tournament that has cost thousands of people their lives”.
Denmark’s kit supplier Hummel released a statement on their 'toned-down' design being a protest of the World Cup in Qatar:
'We don’t wish to be visible during a tournament that has cost thousands of people their lives.'
The third kit is all black to represent mourning. pic.twitter.com/TZKvKbmmZR
— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 28, 2022