Dua Lipa Denies Rumors She's Performing at World Cup Qatar, Cites Human Rights Conditions

Pop star Dua Lipa is joining many LGBTQ+ World Cup fans in not attending the event because it is being held in Qatar, shooting down rumors she will not be performing at the opening ceremony, citing human rights conditions.

Taking to Instagram on Sunday, the 27-year-old "Levitation" singer made it clear she will not visit Qatar until the Gulf country has "fulfilled all the human rights pledges" it made when it won the right to host the sporting event in Dec. 2010.

"There is currently a lot of speculation that I will be performing at the opening ceremony of the World Cup in Qatar," Dua Lipa added. "I will not be performing and nor have I ever been involved in any negotiation to perform. I will be cheering England on from afar and I look forward to visiting Qatar when it has fulfilled all the human rights pledges it made when it won the right to host."

The 2022 World Cup being hosted in Qatar has sparked much controversy as homosexuality is illegal in the country, which also has also come under fire for its poor working conditions and low pay for migrants, the Independent notes.

Dua Lipa's comments come not long after an ambassador for the World Cup in Qatar called homosexuality a "damage in the mind," adding that being gay is "haram," or forbidden in Arabic, and that he takes issue with children seeing gay people. In another report, an anonymous gay man detailed being gang raped by Qatar police.