The family of a Pakistani migrant worker who died while constructing a stadium for the 2034 World Cup in Saudi Arabia say they are still waiting for compensation almost a year after his death. Mohammad Arshad was killed on 12 March 2025 at the Aramco Stadium site in Al Khobar, becoming the first known fatality linked to the tournament.
Arshad, who was married with three young sons and lived in Mansehra, Pakistan, fell from a high platform that tilted suddenly. He was not secured to the platform and died in hospital. Belgian construction multinational Besix, one of the main contractors, had promised that end-of-service and insurance payments would be handled in a timely and respectful manner.
Under Saudi law, Arshad's family are entitled to death compensation potentially worth up to £63,250, as well as outstanding salary and end-of-service benefits. However, the only money they have received so far has come from a voluntary donation raised by co-workers and stakeholders, which was matched by Besix.
In response to a query, Besix said end-of-service benefits had been transferred to the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation and should be paid shortly once the family submitted required documents. The company also said it was helping the family complete paperwork for the insurance payment. Rights groups say the delay is emblematic of the difficulties many families face in securing compensation for migrant workers who die in the Gulf kingdom.
James Lynch, a director of human rights group FairSquare, said: “This terrible case is sadly emblematic of what so many families of migrant workers who die in Saudi Arabia go through. It shows the enormous hurdles that they face in attempting to secure the compensation they are legally due in cases of workplace accidents.” He urged Fifa to publicly demand compensation, saying the organisation “recklessly awarded” the World Cup after a “sham human rights assessment process”.
