The Workers Cup

Thursday, June 15 - Friday, June 16, 2017

New York Premiere!

In 2022, Qatar will host the world’s biggest sporting event, the FIFA World Cup. This documentary gives voice to one group from the 1.6 million migrant workers laboring to build sport’s grandest stage as they compete in a football tournament of their own: The Workers Cup. With unprecedented access to the most controversial construction site, this film follows the men in their enthusiastic preparation for the games, while exposing their long work hours for scant salaries, limited freedom of movement, and harsh living conditions in isolated labor camps. The Workers Cup explores universal themes of ambition, aspiration, and masculinity, as we see our protagonists wrangle hope, meaning, and opportunity out of extremely difficult circumstances.

“Insightful and moving, this film shows the inherent unfairness of young men from the world’s poorest countries essentially giving up their lives and leaving their families to build vanity projects in the world’s richest countries.” —Nicholas McGeehan, researcher, Middle East and North Africa Division, Human Rights Watch

Screening as part of Human Rights Watch Film Festival.

  • Language In English, Hindi, Gha, Tui, Nepali, Malayalam, and Arabic with English subtitles
  • Running Time 89 minutes
  • Director Adam Sobel

IFC Center does not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, as sensitivities vary from person to person. In addition to the synopses, trailers and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com as well as through general internet searches.