Over 7 million abusive posts removed during World Cup matches, FIFA says

Over 7 million abusive posts removed during World Cup matches, FIFA says
Over 7 million abusive posts removed during World Cup matches, FIFA says - The scene during the opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (Photo: FIFA)
The scene during the opening ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (Photo: FIFA)

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The protection service has moderated more than 53 million posts and comments since the start of the tournament, covering content beyond those classified as abusive.

More than 7 million potentially harmful social media posts and comments have been removed during the FIFA World Cup 2026, as football’s global governing body reports a sharp rise in online abuse targeting players, coaches and officials.
In a statement on Saturday, FIFA said its Social Media Protection Service (SMPS), which monitors abusive content directed at tournament participants, recorded a 14-fold increase in removed posts compared with the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when 470,000 harmful posts and comments were taken down.
The protection service has moderated more than 53 million posts and comments since the start of the tournament, covering content beyond those classified as abusive.

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“FIFA’s Social Media Protection Service (SMPS) has kicked away more than 7 million potentially harmful posts and comments since the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026,” said the global football body.
It added that its monitoring team reviewed more than 500,000 AI-detected messages aimed at players, coaches and officials during the tournament. More than 15,000 posts were escalated for further action, while more than 1,000 serious threats were referred to relevant authorities.
“More than 1,000 egregious threats have been passed to the relevant authorities, including Law Enforcement,” FIFA said.

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The figures highlight the growing challenge of online abuse in football, where social media platforms have become a major channel for racist attacks, threats and harassment against players and teams.
The 2026 tournament will reach its climax on Sunday when Spain takes on defending champions Argentina in the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, United States. The highly anticipated showdown brings together the world’s top two-ranked men’s national teams, with Argentina entering the match as the No. 1 side and Spain ranked second.
Spain arrived at the final on an extraordinary unbeaten run, having gone 37 matches without defeat, a record-equalling streak in men’s international football. La Roja’s last loss came in March 2024, when they were beaten 1-0 by Colombia. Since then, Spain has recorded 27 victories and 10 draws.
Argentina will once again look to captain Lionel Messi, who has been one of the standout performers of the tournament. The forward has scored eight goals and provided four assists in the competition, putting him among the highest-scoring players in a single men’s World Cup.
Only five players have scored more goals in a single World Cup: Portugal’s Eusébio (nine in 1966), Brazil’s Ademir de Menezes (nine in 1950), West Germany’s Gerd Müller (10 in 1970), Hungary’s Sándor Kocsis (11 in 1954) and France’s Just Fontaine (13 in 1958).
A win would make Argentina just the third country to pull off back-to-back men's World Cup titles, joining Italy (1934, 1938) and Brazil (1958, 1962).

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