Three days before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off on June 11, Ofcom sent a message to the biggest platforms on the internet: get your house in order, or we’ll do it for you.
The UK communications regulator issued formal warnings to X, Meta, and YouTube on or around June 8, putting them on notice that their legal obligations under the Online Safety Act would be actively monitored throughout the tournament. The specific concern: predictable waves of racist, sexist, and discriminatory abuse targeting footballers, a pattern that has repeated itself during every major tournament in recent memory.
What Ofcom is actually demanding
Under the law, social media companies must maintain easy-to-use reporting tools for users, staff moderation teams capable of handling surges in abusive content, and remove illegal material promptly.
The consequences for falling short are genuinely painful. Breaches can result in fines of up to £18 million or 10% of global qualifying revenue, whichever figure is higher.
