Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is urging FIFA officials to help prevent human trafficking during the 2026 World Cup.
Today, Sen. Ossoff and a bipartisan group of Senators urged FIFA executives to strengthen resources for host cities working to prevent human trafficking ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“As conversations are ongoing between Congress and Host City Committees regarding Federal support for vital security funding needs, one critical issue that FIFA should not overlook is the need to prevent and respond to any human trafficking,” Sen. Ossoff and the group of Senators wrote. “However, in the past, FIFA has faced criticism for its poor track record in addressing human rights violations, as evidenced during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.”
In June, FIFA published a World Cup 2026 Human Rights Framework, a guidance document developed for the 16 FIFA World Cup Host City Committees.
“We want to make sure that FIFA is considering how to combat human trafficking not just in host cities, but throughout North America,” Sen. Ossoff and the group continued. “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.”
Sen. Ossoff continues working to prevent human trafficking.
Earlier this month, Sens. Ossoff and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced the bipartisan Preventing Child Trafficking Act of 2025 to strengthen coordination between the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to prevent child trafficking.
Last month, Sens. Ossoff and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the bipartisan Supporting Victims of Human Trafficking Act, which would cut red tape to better respond to the needs of service organizations working with victims of human trafficking and create additional flexibility in certain grant programs.
In 2024, Sen. Ossoff launched an inquiry with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) urging them to prioritize resources toward supporting investigations and prosecutions targeting high-level narcotics and human smuggling operations necessary to stem the flow of illicit drugs, prevent human trafficking, and reduce the threat of terrorism at our southern border.
In 2023, Sen. Ossoff launched a bipartisan inquiry to protect minors using rideshare platforms from human trafficking.
Click here to read Sen. Ossoff and the group’s inquiry.
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