Protecting Children & Adolescents Before, During, and After FIFA World Cup 2026
As the United States prepares to host the FIFA World Cup, millions of fans, tourists, workers, and local residents will come together across multiple cities. While mega sporting events bring celebration, economic activity, and global attention, they also create conditions that sex traffickers exploit. PACT is committed to prevention, awareness, and coordinated action to protect children and adolescents from sexual exploitation and trafficking in the lead-up to and during the 2026 World Cup.
Why Prevention Matters During Mega Sporting Events
Large-scale sporting events like the FIFA World Cup can create environments where children and adolescents face increased risks of sexual exploitation and trafficking.
Traffickers take advantage of:
Large influxes of visitors and temporary workers
Increased demand for commercial sex and cheap labor
Overburdened local systems and unfamiliarity among tourists
Anonymity created by crowds, travel, and short-term lodging
These harms affect not only visitors and fans, but also local communities. Children, youth, migrants, and other vulnerable populations are disproportionately impacted, often long after the final match has been played.
Prevention is not about panic. It is about preparedness, awareness, and collective responsibility.
Know the Red Flags
Recognize The Signs:
Trafficking signs may be overt or subtle. A single sign does not indicate trafficking, but several signs together should be reported.
What To Look Out For:
The child seems scared, disoriented, or lost
The child may not be able to identify where they are or how long they are staying there
An older person is constantly monitoring the child’s movements and speaks for them
The child’s responses seem scripted
Sudden or dramatic changes in behavior
Signs of untreated injuries, exhaustion, or malnutrition,
Not dressed in weather-appropriate attire
How to Report Safely
If you see something that doesn’t look right, trust your instincts. You do not need proof to make a report.
In the United States
National Human Trafficking Hotline
Call: 1-888-373-7888
Text: 233733 (BEFREE)
Chat: Online reporting available
Available 24/7, confidential, and multilingualIf someone is in immediate danger, call 911
Example of emergencies includes:
Physical violence occurring
Someone being forcibly restrained
A minor in immediate distress
Threats involving weapons
Reporting to Local Authorities
Contact local law enforcement or designated authorities in host cities
Report a concern through FIFA’s secure and confidential platform. You can remain anonymous.
Reporting can be done anonymously. Your safety and the safety of potential victims come first.
#WEPROTECTCHILDREN
#WEPROTECTCHILDREN
PACT proudly partners with ECPAT International to protect children from sexual exploitation and trafficking in the context of travel, tourism, and mega sporting events.
This global #WEPROTECTCHILDREN campaign mobilizes EVERYONE, from businesses, local authorities and partners to civil society, tourists and fans to:
Raise awareness about sexual exploitation and trafficking of children and adolescents before, during, and after the FIFA World Cup 2026
Promote responsible tourism and business practices
Strengthen safe reporting and response mechanisms
Ensure children’s rights are upheld before, during, and after the World Cup
One Team. One Goal.
How Businesses Can Get Involved
Businesses play a critical role in prevention, especially those in the travel, hospitality, transportation, and entertainment sectors.
PACT encourages businesses to:
Train their staff to recognize and respond to red flags [Link to PACT trainings + ECPAT new training for hosts]
Establish clear internal reporting and escalation protocols
Display hotline information in visible, accessible areas
Commit to ethical business practices and survivor-centered responses
Partner with local organizations and coalitions focused on prevention
Hotels, short-term rental platforms, airlines, restaurants, bars, rideshare companies, and event venues are often on the front lines. Prepared staff can make a life-saving difference.
PACT offers several trainings, free of charge, for professionals in the hospitality and travel industry.
25-Minute Training, “Travel Training for Managers and Professionals”
This 25-minute online training developed by PACT, with the input of a committee of travel professionals, addresses the issue of human trafficking and discusses the intersections between human trafficking and the travel industry.
30-Minute Training, “Preventing Human Trafficking”
A free, 30-minute e-training for hotel owners and operators, developed by PACT with input from survivors, and in collaboration with global hotel partners Hilton, Hyatt and IHG Hotels & Resorts.
E-Learning Course for Hosts
of Accommodation Booking Platforms
As a host on an accommodation booking platform, you play a key role in helping keep children safe and manage risks around major events with an influx of travelers and festive atmosphere, and in your day-to-day work.
Contact Us!
PACT works with businesses of all sizes to support responsible engagement before, during, and after major events. Learn more about how to get involved by filling out the form below.
Join Us!
Preventing trafficking and exploitation during the FIFA World Cup requires collective action. Whether you are a fan, a business owner, a community member, or a partner organization, you have a role to play.
Together, we can ensure that the World Cup is remembered not only for the game, but for a commitment to human dignity, safety, and justice.
