AL KHOBAR, Saudi Arabia — The family of a Pakistani construction worker who died while working on a stadium project linked to Saudi Arabia’s preparations for the 2034 Fifa World Cup have still not received the death compensation and end-of-service payments they say are due, almost a year after the fatal incident.

Mohammad Arshad, described as a foreman in his mid-30s, died on 12 March 2025 after falling from a high platform at the Aramco Stadium site in Al Khobar, in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province. A contractor statement previously said the platform tilted during formwork operations; although workers had fall-arrest equipment, Arshad was not connected to an anchor point at the time and later died in hospital.

Arshad left behind his wife and three sons in Pakistan. His relatives told journalists they have received only a voluntary collection from colleagues and others involved in the project, which was matched by the contractor, but not the formal compensation they expected under Saudi rules, nor his final salary and end-of-service benefits.

Rights advocates say such delays reflect the bureaucratic and legal hurdles families can face when seeking compensation after workplace deaths in Saudi Arabia. The case has also renewed scrutiny of labour protections as Saudi Arabia pursues a large-scale stadium building programme for the 2034 tournament.