FIFA has intensified its efforts to combat online verbal abuse targeting players and referees. The announcement was made on Sunday, coinciding with the International Day for Tolerance. FIFA emphasised that “hatred and discrimination have no place in football.”
Gianni Infantino, FIFA’s president, stated that football must remain a safe and inclusive space, whether on the pitch, in the stands, or online. He highlighted the organisation’s use of social media moderation services, advanced technology, and human expertise to take decisive action against harmful online behaviour.
Since launching its moderation service in 2022, FIFA reported flagging over 65,000 abusive posts to social media platforms for review and removal. More than 30,000 of these were flagged this year alone.
Additionally, FIFA revealed that eleven individuals from Argentina, Brazil, Spain, the United States, France, Poland, and the UK have been reported to authorities for online abuse linked to FIFA competitions this year. In one case, a file was submitted to Interpol.
FIFA stated that individuals identified as responsible for particularly harmful behaviour have been blacklisted, barring them from purchasing tickets for FIFA events or competitions.
