Harmful social media posts surge 14-fold during 2026 World Cup

Fifa's social media protection service (SMPS) has recorded a dramatic increase in harmful social media posts during the 2026 World Cup, with 14 times more abusive content than the 2022 tournament in Qatar. The service identified and removed over seven million harmful messages this summer, a sharp rise from 470,000 during the previous World Cup.

Abusive posts and threats escalate

Fifa reported more than 200,000 abusive and threatening posts and comments during the 2026 tournament, compared to 19,600 from Qatar 2022. Of these, over 15,000 posts were escalated for additional action, and more than 1,000 egregious threats were passed on to relevant authorities, including law enforcement.

AI-driven moderation system

The SMPS, a digital shield available to all teams, coaches, players and officials participating in Fifa tournaments, moderated more than 53 million posts and comments during the 2026 World Cup, which was co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Artificial intelligence detected over 530,000 messages targeted at specific individuals, which were then assessed by the SMPS team.

The significant increase in harmful content highlights the growing challenge of online abuse during major sporting events. Fifa's system aims to protect participants from harassment and threats, with escalated cases involving law enforcement where necessary.