Bipartisan Letter Urges FIFA to Curb Human Trafficking at '26 World Cup

Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Reverend Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), and 13 other United States Senators have called on the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA, the international governing body of soccer) to disclose all information regarding their steps to curb human trafficking at the host cities of the 2026 World Cup.

The upcoming tournament takes place in 11 American cities, two Canadian cities, and three Mexican cities.

With Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, and Miami participating as hosts for the biggest sporting event in the world, the Senators want to make sure that FIFA and U.S. law enforcement are on the same page, according to the letter.

“The FIFA World Cup is considered the world’s largest sporting event and is expected to bring millions of fans to the United States,” wrote the senators. "FIFA has already been in contact with federal, state and local governments to ensure that this event happens smoothly and efficiently. We want to make sure that FIFA is considering how to combat human trafficking not just in host cities, but throughout North America. This collaboration should include robust preventative measures, partnerships with law enforcement, and engagement with community organizations to ensure that this World Cup serves as a model for future events."

Moreover, Sens. Cornyn, Cruz, Warnock, Ossoff, and others called on FIFA to disclose its monetary commitment to the host cities of the World Cup.

“We respectfully request information about the comprehensive efforts FIFA is taking to support the Host City Committees in combatting human trafficking in host cities, states and across the continent, in addition to any financial commitments you are providing to Host Cities, local or national organizations and any education and training you are providing to your teams, players, and staff on the issue,” they continued.

Finally, the senators declared that FIFA needs to "do better than it has in the past" to tackle this issue.

"We want to work with you to make sure the United States and FIFA are prepared to prevent and reduce human trafficking, as well as support survivors, ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 but your organization needs to do better than it has in the past in this area. If we can make connections to help you coordinate with any stakeholders, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us," the senators wrote.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs from June 11 - July 19.