US Soccer is seeking to join the UEFA Working Group in supporting compensation for workers at the Qatar World Cup.
The federation had been criticised by Human Rights Watch for their “silence” on the issue.
While plans are still being finalised, US Soccer have indicated a desire to join the UEFA coalition, who announced their support for both compensation and the creation of a Migrant Worker Centre on Wednesday.
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It is understood they are also attempting to involve other North American federations, including Canada and Costa Rica, in joining the coalition.
The body has also hired a “compliance officer” to monitor whether labour laws are being followed by the team hotel and other vendors, and presented on the issues to players.
However, Human Rights Watch told The Athletic on Wednesday evening that they were concerned about the lack of public statement from the federation.
Minky Worden, director of global initiatives, said: “Where are the comments from the World Cup hosts for 2026: the United States, Mexico, and Canada?”
“Their silence is deafening. The fear is that there will not be binding agreements on workers’ rights for the next World Cup.”
In response, US Soccer told The Athletic: “US Soccer has had conversations with Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and other organizations about this important topic.
“We’ve also been in communication with UEFA about joining their support for financial compensation for workers. We have been working diligently behind the scenes to finalize our plans and will be ready to share those soon.”
Despite the UEFA Working Group taking a concrete position, the timing of their statement has been criticised, as The Athletic revealed earlier on Thursday.
Human Rights Watch accused the statement of being “welcome — but late”.
“Eight weeks ahead of the World Cup, after 12 years of abuses, associations are speaking out,” Worden added. “Like the labour reforms in Qatar, it’s too late to help many migrant workers.”
