Fifa reports rise in online racist abuse during World Cup
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 1, 2026, 3:16 PM
Last updated Jul 1, 2026
Fifa's social media protection service has identified a significant increase in online racist abuse during the 2026 World Cup, with 89,000 abusive posts detected throughout the group stage. This figure marks a 13-fold increase from 2022, where 6,700 abusive comments were recorded across fewer matches. Racism accounted for 11% of all online abuse, which is a 3% increase compared to previous tournaments., players from the Netherlands who missed penalties in a recent match against Morocco received targeted racist comments on social media, prompting further investigation into approximately 1,000 accounts. Over six million posts were scanned for abuse, highlighting a concerning trend despite improvements in detection methods.
- •89,000 abusive posts identified in 2026 World Cup group stage
- •Racism represented 11% of all online abuse
- •Over six million posts scanned for hate speech
- •Detection methods improved but trends remain concerning
- •Players Kluivert, Timber, and Summerville targeted after penalties
- 3:19 PMYahoo Sports — Concern over rise in online racist abuse at World Cup
- 3:16 PMBBC Sport — Concern over rise in online racist abuse at World Cup
"The Word Cup has suffered a 'significant increase' in the most serious examples of racist abuse online, Fifa's social media protection service (SMPS) has found.
"The Word Cup has suffered a 'significant increase' in the most serious examples of racist abuse online, Fifa's social media protection service (SMPS) has found.
Sources
External links- Yahoo SportsJul 1, 2026, 3:19 PMConcern over rise in online racist abuse at World Cup
The Word Cup has suffered a 'significant increase' in the most serious examples of racist abuse online, Fifa's social media protection service (SMPS) has found.
- BBC SportJul 1, 2026, 3:16 PMConcern over rise in online racist abuse at World Cup
The Word Cup has suffered a 'significant increase' in the most serious examples of racist abuse online, Fifa's social media protection service (SMPS) has found.
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