Qatar is hosting this years highly anticipated World Cup but, more than a week before it officially kicks off, its already attracted a lot of controversy.

FIFA members voted for the country in the Middle East to host this years tournament back in 2010, but in the last few weeks, theres been a flurry of headlines around calls for people to boycott the occasion, which is held once every four years.

The World Cup will begin Nov. 20. Heres what you need to know ahead of the matches start.

Why is Qatar such a divisive host?

LBGTQ+ rights

Homosexuality is illegal in the country, and could lead to punishments of up to seven years behind bars.

Qatar criminalizes all LGBT people and any sexual activity between members of the same sex.

The country uses an interpretation of Sharia law (a legal system stemming from Islams holy book the Quran) as a source for this criminalization.

It also suggests sexual activity between men could result in the death penalty.

While Human Dignity Trust reports that its rare for these punishments to be enforced in recent years, there are still incidents of discrimination and violence against LGBTQ+ people.

And, as the charity points out, the number of reported incidents may be lower because LGBTQ+ people cannot be open about themselves.

While this is the headline cause for concern, especially as foreign fans may face a risk to their safety if they push for gay rights, thats not the only ethical problem with the countrys government.

Migrant workers rights

Migrant workers make up 95% of the countrys total workforce, according to the Human Rights Watch website, but many are subject to wage abuses.

The workers legal status is linked to a specific employer, too. This means leaving an employer without their permission is considered a crime, and many of their employee rights, including the right to strike, are banned.

TIME magazine also reported last week that thousands of migrant workers died during the construction work for the World Cups stadiums, due to the extreme heat.