Prince William set to snub FIFA World Cup in Qatar over human rights issues: report

Gareth Southgate's England squad will not have the support of English Football Association President Prince William in Qatar during the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup. If recent a recent report is to be believed, the Prince of Wales is allegedly planning to snub the event due to the host country's "human rights record."

Because Prince William is the head of the FA, it has long been believed that he will come out to personally support the squad at some point during the tournament, which is set to begin later this month. However, according toa source told The Sun, that the 40-year-old heir to the British throne and his wife, Kate Middleton, will not fly to the Middle Eastern state to back the Three Lions.

England's first match will be on November 21 against Iran, but the Prince and Princess of Wales have not confirmed their attendance. However, they have not officially said otherwise either. It is only known that they will be in Boston, USA for the Earthshot Prize Awards in the first week of December.

Prince William is reportedly keeping mum about his World Cup plans because the host country has been embroiled in a number of human rights controversies. Just a few days ago, the Qatari ambassador to the UK said that gay couples should not kiss in public if they will be travelling to enjoy the football action.

Same-sex couples are also facing problems booking hotel rooms, as claimed by a couple of Scandinavian journalists who made an attempt earlier this year. The ambassador denied that hotels are being discriminatory against the LGBTQIA+ community, but he urged visitors to respect the country's rigid Islamic laws and traditions.

There has been worldwide outrage due to the safety concerns surrounding same sex couples, who may find themselves criminally persecuted in the country. Likewise, there have also been concerns about the poor working conditions for stadium workers, many of whom are migrants.

Even if England make it to the final on December 18, sources told the publication that the Prince is unlikely to come, and will only send government representatives.

Prince William has long been known to be an ally of the LGBTQIA+ community, but he is also an avid football fan. It remains to be seen if the report holds true, and whether or not he will boycott the event.