Recent findings by the Sport & Rights Alliance (SRA) and Football Supporters Europe (FSE) highlight substantial shortfalls by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) in meeting its human rights commitments during the 2026 Men’s World Cup. While the event was promoted as a celebration of inclusion and unity, the reality painted a starkly different picture. Frank Conde Tangberg from Amnesty International pointed out that the festival-like atmosphere within stadiums sharply contrasted with escalating fears and divisions outside, partly driven by government policies but compounded by FIFA’s inaction.
As detailed in the report “Profit Over People: The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup,” significant issues included inaccessible ticketing for disabled fans, insufficient transparency for journalists regarding accreditation processes, and inadequate grievance mechanisms. A notable concern was FIFA’s ticketing approach, which violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by not ensuring fair pricing for accessible seating and removing companion ticket accommodations for caregivers. Comparatively, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar received widespread acclaim from disability rights advocates for its efforts in creating an inclusive environment.
The problem extended beyond ticketing issues. Although visas fall outside FIFA’s legal domain, past collaboration with host governments to ease the international travel process for fans was notably absent. This lack resulted in restrictive entry measures, as supporters from 39 countries faced obstacles in attending the World Cup in the United States. As reported, this limited the ability of fans from qualifying nations to witness games on the global stage firsthand.
Cross-border human rights concerns further marred the 2026 World Cup. Incidents in Mexico included the detention of journalists and the use of tear gas on protesters, while Canada saw rejections of visa applications from the Global South and disruptive street clean-ups that displaced homeless communities. Human Rights Watch described FIFA’s handling of these threats as “weak” and criticized the tournament as facilitating “sportswashing” for the then-US administration.
For more information on these concerns and insights into the broader implications of FIFA’s human rights commitments during the 2026 World Cup, the full report provides a detailed examination of these critical issues.