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NUFC players take the field in jerseys with the Noon logo emblazoned on the left shoulder—an ever-present reminder of their sponsor whose business practices stand in stark violation of NUFC’s statement on modern slavery that claims they are committed “to ensure that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in our supply chains or in any part of our business.”  In fact, not only NUFC, but also the wider Premier league, has released a Modern Slavery and Human-Trafficking statement. On their website the league says, “We do not tolerate modern slavery or human trafficking in our organisation or in our supply chain.”...

Beginning in March 2024, Equidem investigators spoke with workers across the Noon supply chain—including warehouse and delivery workers—in both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Our investigation included the perspectives of migrant workers from 12 countries in Africa and Asia—Bangladesh, Cameroon, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Uganda. Among the workers we spoke to, some were hired directly by Noon while others were hired through manpower supply companies...

Equidem calls upon FIFA to apply and enhance its binding and actionable commitments to address risk factors for labour and human rights violations as a condition of confirming Saudi Arabia’s bid to host FIFA World Cup 2034. As this investigation further underscores, Saudi Arabia cannot guarantee compliance with international human rights and labour standards without taking significant measures to address risk factors for forced labour and modern slavery. The persistence of rights violations and perpetuation of this context where migrant workers are particularly vulnerable to exploitation raises serious questions about the extent to which labour and migration reform processes in Saudi Arabia have actually protected workers from exploitation, including forced labour and modern slavery. The issues documented by Equidem’s ongoing investigation of Noon in Saudi Arabia are rooted in the lack of democratic power for workers and is reflected in other human rights issues including the targeting of rights activists, restrictions on freedom of expression, the enactment of repressive laws, the abuse of the criminal justice system, and the mistreatment of women and LGBTQI communities.