NZ Sports Minister Grant Robertson insists sport can help draw attention to human rights issues and hopes the NZ-hosted Women's Football World Cup will achieve that goal.
As the men's tournament kicks off in Qatar, football world governing body FIFA is underfire for the host nation's poor record on migrant workers and anti-LGBTQ laws that threaten visitors to the 32-team tournament over the next month.
Thousands of poorly compensated workers have reportedly died, while building the lavish stadiums that will house the event, but in a bizarre media conference, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has accused critics of hypocrisy.
Competing teams have taken the opportunity to protest the issues, with the USA team adorning their training base with a rainbow emblem and the Netherlands setting up a fund to support migrant workers.
Robertson has told AM that Qatar is probably no different to many other nations hosting major events around the world.
"Theres are issues I think it's really important we are talking about," he said. "Wherever you host an event in the world, there will be criticism - we've recently had a Winter Olympics in Beijing.
"We have criticism of human rights records of other countries... the United States. There will be no country where it will be completely a situation where people might be happy with a tournament being held.
"Wherever you are in the world, these are issues. The most important thing is we are prepared to keep talking about them."
New Zealand and Australia will co-host the women's tournament next July/August, also attended by 32 teams.
"I actually think football - and sport in general - does have a role to play in enhancing human rights," Robertson told AM. "That's what we want to do, when New Zealand and Australia host the women's World Cup next year.
"We want that to be a festival that's inclusive and everyone's welcome. I try to take that attitude to it - we do what we can do when we host, we should raise issues where appropriate when other countries host."
While some activists have called for fans to boycott World Cup coverage from Qatar, Robertson has no plans to watch games, which are largely played in the early hours of the morning, NZ time.
Associated Press football correspondent James Robson has told AM journalists have not been discouraged from covering human rights issues, but there is still uncertainty over how visitors will be treated, despite assurances from the organisers.
"Most of the fans are coming to watch the football, watch their country hopefully win the World Cup and have a wonderful experience," he said. "It would be a surprise if there wasn't some protest, because there are so many things going on in this country that people are upset about.
"I wouldn't be totally surprised if there wasn't some protest, but you would worry for people, if they did that."
Robson expresses concern for the fate of LGBTQ+ visitors especially.
"They've said the LBGTQ+ community coming over here will be safe," he said. "However, there's also been the suggestion that they want their customs respected - that leaves a pretty grey area.
"Who knows what that actually means. If you're gay, can you come over here and just express yourself and live life as you would, or would you be arrested?
"We don't actually know what will be acceptable."
