The FIFA Social Media Protection Service sat at the heart of FIFA’s intensified efforts to combat online abuse, as football’s world governing body stepped up action against hate and discrimination across digital platforms. Marking the International Day for Tolerance, FIFA reaffirmed that there was no place for racism, threats or discriminatory behavior in football, on the pitch, in the stands and online.
FIFA Social Media Protection Service: scaling up the fight against online abuse
Since its launch in 2022, the FIFA Social Media Protection Service (SMPS) had become a key tool in identifying and tackling abusive content directed at players, coaches, teams and match officials. More than 65,000 abusive posts had been reported to social media platforms for review and removal, including over 30,000 in 2025 alone.
In addition to working with platforms, FIFA used the FIFA Social Media Protection Service to escalate the most serious cases to law enforcement. Since the start of 2025, 11 individuals had been reported to authorities in Argentina, Brazil, France, Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States for abuse during FIFA competitions, with one case submitted to Interpol. Relevant FIFA Member Associations (MAs) were informed so that they could take appropriate action at national level.
Associated Press/FIFA
Blacklisting abusers: ticket bans through FIFA Social Media Protection Service
A further measure under the FIFA Social Media Protection Service involved directly targeting those responsible for the most extreme behavior. For all identified cases of highly abusive conduct, FIFA began blacklisting individuals to prevent them from purchasing tickets for any future FIFA tournaments or events.
By linking online behaviour to real-world consequences, the FIFA Social Media Protection Service aimed to send a clear message: those who engaged in violent, racist or discriminatory abuse would not only face potential legal action, but could also lose the privilege of attending major football events in person.
FIFA Social Media Protection Service at the FIFA Club World Cup
The FIFA Social Media Protection Service was deployed at several major competitions in 2025, including the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup™ staged in the United States. At that tournament, all 32 participating teams – featuring players from 72 different nationalities were covered by proactive monitoring designed to detect and report violent, threatening or discriminatory content.
During the Club World Cup, the FIFA Social Media Protection Service monitored 2,401 active accounts across five social media platforms, including those belonging to players, coaches, teams and match officials. In total, 5.9 million posts were analysed, 179,517 were flagged for review, and 20,587 were reported to the relevant platforms for further action.
This large-scale monitoring demonstrated how the FIFA Social Media Protection Service combined advanced technology with human expertise to protect participants at global showpiece events.
Gianni Infantino: “Abuse has no place in our game”
FIFA President Gianni Infantino underlined the organisation’s stance as the FIFA Social Media Protection Service expanded its reach. Speaking on the International Day for Tolerance, he stressed that football must remain a safe and inclusive environment.
“On the International Day for Tolerance, I wanted to make it abundantly clear that football had to be a safe and inclusive space on the pitch, in the stands and online,” he said. Infantino highlighted that, through the FIFA Social Media Protection Service and the deployment of advanced technology and human review, FIFA was taking decisive action to shield players, coaches, teams and match officials from the serious harm caused by online abuse.
“Our message was clear: abuse had no place in our game, and we would continue to work with our Member Associations, the confederations and law enforcement authorities to hold offenders accountable,” he added. He also reiterated that this behavior had no place in football or in society, and that FIFA would keep reporting incidents and blacklisting individuals from purchasing tickets for FIFA tournaments.
Associated Press/FIFA
How the FIFA Social Media Protection Service works
The FIFA Social Media Protection Service was designed to protect individuals from online abuse, particularly racist, discriminatory or threatening messages that often spiked during major competitions. Its functions went beyond simply flagging posts, aiming to protect both targeted individuals and their wider audiences.
ng content at source, the FIFA Social Media Protection Service also prevented followers and fans from being repeatedly exposed to racist or discriminatory posts, helping to avoid the normalisation of such behavior.
Long-term safeguarding and education through FIFA Social Media Protection Service
Beyond immediate enforcement, the FIFA Social Media Protection Service contributed to broader safeguarding and educational efforts. The data gathered through SMPS monitoring and reporting helped FIFA and its Member Associations understand patterns of abuse, identify high-risk moments during competitions and refine strategies to protect vulnerable groups.
In the long term, the FIFA Social Media Protection Service supported disciplinary processes, informed policy development and underpinned campaigns promoting respect, inclusion and tolerance. By combining technology, legal pathways and collaboration with national associations, FIFA aimed to build a digital environment where players and officials could participate without fear of harassment.
Fans and stakeholders who wanted to learn more about the FIFA Social Media Protection Service and FIFA’s wider anti-discrimination work could find further information on the official FIFA.com safeguarding and social responsibility pages, as well as through dedicated reports on integrity and player welfare.
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