Human rights group Amnesty International has called on FIFA to take a stance against the “abuse of migrant workers” in Qatar, the host for the 2022 World Cup.

Amnesty International claims in a 166-page report that workers arriving in Qatar to work on construction projects related to the tournament in nine years’ time are subjected to “non-payment of wages, harsh and dangerous working conditions, and shocking standards of accommodation”.

Amnesty International’s secretary general Salil Shetty said: “Our findings indicate an alarming level of exploitation in the construction sector in Qatar.

“FIFA has a duty to send a strong public message that it will not tolerate human rights abuses on construction projects related to the World Cup.

“Qatar is recruiting migrant workers at a remarkable rate to support its construction boom, with the population increasing at 20 people an hour. Many migrants arrive in Qatar full of hopes, only to have these crushed soon after they arrive. There’s no time to delay, the government must act now to end this abuse.”

In response, Amnesty International received a letter dated October 9, 2013, from FIFA vice-president Jerome Valcke, in which he wrote: “The topic of labour rights and working conditions in Qatar was included by our president in the agenda of the recent FIFA Exco meeting held in Zurich on October 3/4. As a result, Mr Blatter will once again bring this matter to the attention of Qatar’s highest authorities.

“Despite the current main focus of our work being the 2014 and 2018 World Cups in Brazil and Russia, we will strengthen our exchanges with the Qatar 2022 Local Organising Committee and will continue to promote dialogue between them.

“It is FIFA’s aim that the host countries of our flagship event ensure healthy, safe and dignified working conditions for all involved in the preparation of the event.”