FIFA has removed more than seven million potentially abusive posts and comments on social media during the 2026 World Cup, a figure the governing body said is 14 times higher than the number recorded at the previous tournament in Qatar.
With the 48-team tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada set to conclude Sunday with the final between Spain and Argentina at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, FIFA said its Social Media Protection Service has played a key role in identifying and limiting online abuse directed at players, coaches, officials and teams.
The protection program, introduced ahead of the 2022 World Cup in partnership with global players’ union FIFPRO, has been made available to all participating teams and individuals.
It combines artificial intelligence tools with human moderation to monitor harmful content across social media platforms in more than 50 languages.
FIFA said it has reported more than 200,000 insulting and intimidating messages during the tournament and taken appropriate action. More than 1,000 cases involving exceptionally serious threats have been forwarded to relevant authorities for further investigation.
