Upon meeting International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) President Michael Sommer, the leader of world football's governing body made it clear he expects the situation to improve ahead of the 2022 World Cup in the Arab state.

"Economic and political leaders must contribute to improving the unacceptable situation in Qatar," Blatter said.

"That is why I welcome the initiative shown by the DFB (German Football Association) and ITUC because together we can achieve change.

"I am convinced that Qatar is taking the situation very seriously.

"These very discussions about Qatar show just what an important role football can play in generating publicity and thus bringing about change."

Qatar has faced heavy criticism over the treatment of its migrant workers in the build up to the 2022 World Cup ©AFP/Getty Images


During the meeting - held at FIFA's home in Zurich just three days after Amnesty International became the latest organisation to publish a scathing report on the treatment of migrant workers in Qatar - Blatter and Sommer agreed that "fair working conditions must be introduced quickly, consistently and on a sustained basis".

"We are very pleased that FIFA and the DFB have joined us in our mission to establish humane working conditions in the [World Cup] host country of Qatar," Sommer, who is also President of the Confederation of German Trade Unions (DGB), added.

"Qatar must guarantee the International Labour Organisation's core labour standards and thus eliminate discrimination and forced labour as well as allow freedom of association for its 1.3 million migrant workers."

DFB President Wolfgang Niersbach, who mediated the meeting, said that the "awarding of the World Cup and the considerable public exposure gives us the opportunity to point out irregularities and to exact lasting change".

"If we succeed, then a lot will have been achieved," he added.

"It was a matter of priority for us to quickly bring together the International Trade Union Confederation and FIFA as contractual partners for Qatar."

Following the meeting, FIFA said that Executive Committee member Theo Zwanziger will continue talks with the ITUC, DFB, and other human rights and labour organisations before reporting his findings in March.

"The aim is to be in a position to report on concrete measures for Qatar at the Executive Committee meeting in March 2014," Zwanziger said.

"Large companies must be reminded of their duties in this area.

"The international community must also accept its responsibility."

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