Concern over rise in online racist abuse at World Cup
FIFA's social media protection service has reported a significant increase in racist abuse directed at players during the 2026 World Cup. The data shows a 13-fold rise in abusive posts compared to the 2022 tournament, prompting calls for stricter enforcement.
Why it matters
The surge in online hate speech highlights the growing challenge of protecting athletes from digital harassment and the limitations of current social media moderation.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Justin Kluivert was the first Netherlands player to miss a penalty in the shootout defeat to Morocco
The article relies on official data from FIFA's monitoring service and reports on specific incidents without editorializing.
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