FIFA, TikTok and Atlanta Meet to Address Hate Speech in Football

FIFA, in partnership with TikTok and the city of Atlanta, convened a meeting focused on combating hate speech in football. The session, held under the title "Stop the Hate, Protect Football," occurred on the International Day for Countering Hate Speech. It preceded a scheduled 2026 World Cup match between the Czech Republic and South Africa.

The event brought together several prominent figures in sports and technology. Former President of Liberia George Weah and former Nigerian footballer Mercy Akide participated alongside representatives from TikTok and Atlanta. Simon Scott served as the moderator for the discussions.

During the meeting, Weah emphasized the unifying role of football. He described the sport as a game of unity and peace while stressing the importance of education in fighting discrimination. Other attendees explored practical measures to address both on-field discrimination and hate speech in digital platforms.

FIFA presented data from its Social Media Protection Service. Since the 2022 Qatar World Cup, the service has examined over 250 million posts and removed more than 30 million harmful messages. For the 2026 World Cup period up to June 18, officials reported reviewing 3.8 million posts and removing 388,000 instances of harmful content. This figure already exceeds the total of 287,000 removals recorded throughout the entire 2022 tournament.

The gathering ended with a commitment ceremony. Participants also noted a message from United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres regarding the challenges posed by hate speech, including those amplified by artificial intelligence.