Roy Keane. Press Association

Watch: Roy Keane says World Cup shouldn't be in Qatar

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 11/22/22

Ireland and Manchester United legend Roy Keane has blasted FIFA for holding the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

"The World Cup shouldn't be here," Keane said during a Tuesday ITV appearance, as shared by Ed McCambridge of FourFourTwo. "It shouldn't be here. It's been mentioned just now with the corruption, regarding FIFA. You've got a country and the way they treat migrant workers, gay people. I think it's been great that it's been brought up.

"They shouldn't have the World Cup here, you shouldn't treat people like that. Look, we all love football, we love soccer. We're on about spreading the game but dismissing human rights, it's not right. It shouldn't be here."

Roy Keane on ITV: “The World Cup shouldn't be here…The corruption… the way they treat migrant workers, gay people…” pic.twitter.com/4k4rrV5jMl
— Richard Chambers (@newschambers) November 22, 2022

Keane offered his latest comments after he criticized England's Harry Kane and Wales' Gareth Bale for not wearing "OneLove" anti-discrimination armbands amid threats they'd receive yellow cards for doing so during World Cup matches.

Sky Sports News' Rob Dorsett and Kaveh Solhekol reported that captains risked "the possibility they could face a one-game ban" by wearing the armbands.

Reuters (h/t ESPN) noted on Tuesday that German Football Association media director Steffen Simon told German Deutschlandfunk that England "had been threatened with multiple sporting sanctions" over Kane possibly wearing the multi-colored armband.

Additionally, ESPN explained that Wales fans were told to remove rainbow bucket hats meant to show solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community before their country's World Cup opener against the U.S. on Monday. ESPN's Julien Laurens reported Belgium chose to cover the word "love" on the inside of their away shirts following a FIFA demand.

Also on Monday, American journalist Grant Wahl reported he was temporarily prevented from entering a World Cup stadium and detained because he wore a pro-LGBTQ t-shirt.

Ahead of the World Cup, England women's national team captain Leah Williamson, Arsenal star Beth Mead, and midfielder Izzy Christiansen were among noteworthy outspoken critics of FIFA holding football's biggest party in Qatar due to the country's human rights record and its alleged treatment of migrant workers.

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