Skip to content

Ministers' World Cup trip difficult decision, says Mark Drakeford

PA Media Gareth Bale celebrates with team-mates after Wales qualified for its first World Cup since 1958PA Media
Gareth Bale celebrates with team-mates after Wales qualified for its first World Cup since 1958

Welsh ministers' decision to attend the World Cup was "difficult and closely balanced", the first minister has said.

Mark Drakeford said there were "very uncomfortable elements" as Qatar's "values are very different to our own".

The country is much criticised on human rights, including treatment of women, LGBTQ+ people and migrant workers.

But Mr Drakeford told BBC Wales he believed there was an "obligation" for ministers to support a Welsh team in its first World Cup in 64 years.

The first minister will attend Wales' match with the USA while Economy Minister Vaughan Gething will watch the game against England.

UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and other senior party figures are staying away from Qatar.

Rhondda Labour MP Chris Bryant, Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price and Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey have been among those saying the Welsh government should not go.

Wales captain Gareth Bale has said Wales plan to highlight "the problems" in the host nation.

Interviewed at the Cardiff City Stadium on Wednesday, Mr Drakeford told BBC Wales political editor Felicity Evans: "I think there are very uncomfortable elements in going to a country whose values are very different to our own, and it's been a difficult and closely balanced decision.

"In the end, I believe that it is an obligation for the Welsh government to be at Qatar to support our team there for the first time in 64 years, but also to use the platform the World Cup provides to make Wales known around the world, everything that we have to offer and everything that is important to us as well."

Mark Drakeford
Mark Drakeford says the Welsh government has to prioritise certain matches when money is tight

The Welsh government decided against initial plans to send its deputy sports minister Dawn Bowden to watch Wales play Iran.

Iran has been criticised for its response to protests sparked by the death of a young woman arrested by the country's morality police.

BBC Wales was told last week that was because of the protests in the country.

But now Mr Drakeford said he "had to make a decision about how proportional It was to be sending ministers to a football tournament at a time when the cost of living crisis is having such an impact on the lives of people in Wales and on the Welsh government as well".

"I came to the conclusion that the two games that gave us the biggest opportunity to promote Wales, to get Wales known around the world, were the first game of all, against the United States, [with] an enormous audience and a very important market for us here in Wales, and the game against England, which will be an opportunity to explain to many people around the world who won't understand this fully, that the United Kingdom is made, of course, more than just one country."