As FIFA prepares to hold its World Cup draw at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on December 5, 2025, and award its first-ever “FIFA Peace Prize,” a coalition of human rights organizations, trade unions, and fan groups is calling on the global soccer body to translate its rhetoric on human rights into concrete action. The groups, including the Sport & Rights Alliance, Dignity 2026, ACLU, AFL-CIO, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the Independent Supporters Council, NAACP, Athlete Ally, and Reporters Without Borders, are pressing FIFA to ensure that the 2026 Men’s World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, respects the rights of players, fans, workers, journalists, children, and local communities.
The 2026 tournament represents an opportunity to set a new standard for FIFA events, embedding human rights into every aspect of planning and delivery. Andrea Florence, executive director of the Sport & Rights Alliance, stressed that the World Cup relies on workers, athletes, and communities, yet deteriorating human rights conditions in the U.S., coupled with canceled anti-discrimination initiatives and threats to press freedom, put these commitments at risk.
Experts from the coalition have highlighted multiple areas of concern. Workers, who build stadiums, maintain infrastructure, and bring the games to life, require strong rights protections and benefits from hosting the event. Journalists covering the tournament face restricted access, visa threats, and safety risks, raising urgent questions about media freedom. Fans and attendees, particularly immigrants and other vulnerable groups, risk arbitrary detention and over-policing at venues, and FIFA must secure binding guarantees from U.S. authorities to ensure safe participation for all.
Civil rights and anti-discrimination protections are also under scrutiny. The cancellation of anti-racism messaging at the Club World Cup has alarmed communities of color, while LGBTQ+ athletes and fans continue to face harassment and unsafe conditions, highlighting the need for enforceable protections. Children, too, are at risk, with no safeguarding policy currently in place for the 2026 tournament, leaving them vulnerable to trafficking, exploitation, and labor abuses.
Host city residents and communities must also benefit from the World Cup rather than bear its social and economic costs. Groups urge FIFA and host committees to prevent displacement, criminalization of unhoused populations, and exploitation, while ensuring that Human Rights Action Plans for all 16 host cities are meaningful and effectively implemented.
As the tournament approaches, coalition members are calling on FIFA to reinstate anti-discrimination initiatives, protect freedom of expression and peaceful protest, implement comprehensive child safeguarding, and guarantee that workers, fans, and communities are prioritized over profits. The message is clear: the World Cup can be a global celebration, but only if human rights are central to every goal and every match.
