FIFA deleted over 7 million abusive social media posts during World Cup

FIFA says it has removed more than seven million abusive, threatening or intimidating pieces of content during the 2026 World Cup as online abuse reached unprecedented levels throughout the tournament.

The governing body revealed that its Social Media Protection Service has reviewed approximately 53 million comments across social media platforms, with expectations that online abuse could increase further during Sunday's World Cup final between Spain and Argentina.

Compared to the 2022 World Cup, the scale of moderation has risen dramatically.

Although the previous tournament saw around 470,000 abusive or intimidating comments removed, FIFA noted that the 2026 edition has generated significantly more harmful content despite featuring a longer format. Reports of abusive posts have increased tenfold, with more than 200,000 posts flagged during the competition.

Artificial intelligence has also played a key role in protecting players, coaches and match officials from online harassment.

According to FIFA, AI systems reviewed and assessed more than 500,000 direct messages sent to tournament participants.

Of those, over 15,000 messages were escalated for further review, while more than 1,000 were deemed serious enough to be referred to the relevant authorities, including law enforcement agencies.

FIFA introduced the Social Media Protection Service to help shield players, coaches and officials from online abuse, with the organisation continuing to monitor activity closely as the tournament reaches its conclusion.