FIFA is rolling out a new human rights protocol for the 2026 World Cup in North America, requiring all host committees to prepare action plans to safeguard human rights. But with the tournament less than a year away, advocates remain doubtful about the governing body’s commitment.
The framework, which covers issues across multiple jurisdictions, is seen as unprecedented by some experts but criticized by others for lacking enforceable standards and clear guidance. “The plan is just a plan. It’s not self-executing,” said Jennifer Li, director of Georgetown Law’s Center for Community Health Innovation and national coordinator of the Dignity 2026 Coalition.
Several U.S. host committees missed the March deadline for initial drafts, though FIFA says they are on track to submit final plans by August 29. Sixteen North American cities will stage matches, including 11 in the United States.
While human rights concerns in North America differ from past host nations — such as Qatar, where migrant workers endured extreme heat during years of construction — FIFA’s 2026 guidelines address nondiscrimination, worker protections, anti-trafficking measures, and safeguarding unhoused people.
In the U.S., tensions are heightened by President Donald Trump’s intensified immigration enforcement, including a June travel ban on 12 countries. Critics fear federal agents could target workers or travelers during the tournament. Protests outside FIFA’s Miami-Dade offices in June called for stronger protections.
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Labor groups warn that local organizers are unprepared and unwilling to engage. “FIFA likes to say they have human rights efforts, but they aren’t pushing it,” said Jeff Mitchell, president of the South Florida AFL-CIO. Advocates also fear aggressive crackdowns on homelessness, citing past incidents such as the 9,000 unhoused people arrested ahead of Atlanta’s 1996 Olympics.
FIFA adopted a human rights policy in 2017 requiring World Cup bidders to respect international labor standards. However, it is facing criticism over the 2034 tournament in Saudi Arabia, with a group of international lawyers alleging the body is failing to meet its own commitments.
Despite the skepticism, FIFA says it is working with host cities to deliver a tournament that “respects and promotes human rights.” Several cities, including Atlanta and Seattle, have launched initiatives on human trafficking prevention, accessibility, and labor rights agreements. The International Labour Organization has called FIFA’s framework an “important step” in aligning sports with global labor standards.