Pakistani Migrant Worker Dies at Saudi Arabia’s Aramco Stadium Construction Site
Muhammad Arshad, a Pakistani migrant worker, died in a tragic working accident at the Aramco Stadium building site in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia. The stadium is one of the facilities being built for the FIFA World Cup in 2034.
Saudi Arabia was officially announced as the tournament’s host on December 11, 2024, making it the second Middle Eastern country to do so after Qatar. The event will mark the first time 48 teams compete in a single host nation. The country has planned a massive infrastructure overhaul, with four stadiums undergoing renovations, three under construction, and eight newly designed venues.
On March 12, Arshad, who had been employed at the site since September 2024, was working on formwork operations when he fell from an elevated section of the stadium. Although he was wearing a personal fall-arrest system, it was not anchored at the time of the accident. Emergency responders transported him to a hospital, but he did not survive his injuries.
Belgian multinational Besix Group, whose subsidiary Six Construct is leading the stadium’s construction, confirmed the incident. Authorities have launched an investigation, and Besiktas has pledged full cooperation.
Arshad’s body was brought back to his hometown in Pakistan and was buried. His death has once again brought Saudi Arabia’s labor rights issues, particularly those involving migrant workers involved in large projects, to the world’s attention.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has previously expressed concerns regarding labor conditions and safeguards in Saudi Arabia and has connected the country’s World Cup-related projects to its larger Vision 2030 plan. Based on interviews with 156 employees and their families between 2023 and 2024, the report found systemic problems such exploitative working conditions, insufficient safety measures, and wage fraud.
According to HRW, FIFA’s 2034 World Cup award to Saudi Arabia was “stained with pervasive rights violations.”
As Saudi Arabia moves forward with its ambitious development plans for the international sporting event, the incident highlights the critical need for improved labor rights.