In a decisive move to combat online abuse and promote inclusion in football, FIFA has strengthened its Social Media Protection Service (SMPS), reaffirming its commitment to ensuring that hate and discrimination have no place in the sport.
To mark the International Day for Tolerance, FIFA emphasized the importance of respect, both on and off the pitch, reminding fans and participants that abusive behaviour will not be tolerated.
The SMPS, which has been operational since 2022, is available to all players, teams, officials, and FIFA Member Associations (MAs) year-round, providing a robust safeguard against harmful online content.
Strong Action Against Online Abuse
Since its launch, the SMPS has reported more than 65,000 abusive posts to social media platforms for review and removal, including over 30,000 posts flagged just this year.
These posts include content that is racist, discriminatory, threatening, or otherwise abusive toward players, coaches, match officials, and teams.
In 2025 alone, 11 individuals have been referred to law enforcement authorities across countries including Argentina, Brazil, France, Poland, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States, with one case escalated to Interpol.
FIFA has also informed the relevant Member Associations so that local measures can be implemented where necessary.
In addition to legal reporting, FIFA is actively blacklisting individuals responsible for highly abusive behaviour, preventing them from purchasing tickets to future FIFA tournaments and events.
SMPS in Action at Major Competitions
The SMPS has already been deployed at a number of tournaments this year, including the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.
During the competition, which featured 32 teams representing 72 nationalities, the service monitored 2,401 active accounts across five social media platforms, analysed 5.9 million posts, flagged 179,517 posts for review, and reported 20,587 posts to the relevant platforms.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said: “On the International Day for Tolerance, I want to make it abundantly clear that football must be a safe and inclusive space – on the pitch, in the stands, and online.”
“Through the FIFA Social Media Protection Service, and by deploying advanced technology alongside human expertise, FIFA is taking decisive action to protect players, coaches, teams, and match officials from the serious harm that online abuse causes.”
He added: “Abuse has no place in our game, and we will continue to work with our Member Associations, the confederations, and law enforcement authorities to hold offenders accountable.”
“FIFA is taking all possible steps, including reporting incidents and blacklisting individuals from purchasing tickets for FIFA tournaments.”
How the FIFA Social Media Protection Service Works
The SMPS is designed to protect individuals from online abuse, particularly racist, discriminatory, or threatening messages.
It also shields followers from exposure to such harmful content, helping prevent the normalization of abusive behaviour. Key functions of the service include:
- Monitoring abusive or hateful content directed at players, coaches, teams, and match officials.
- Reporting and helping remove harmful content from social media platforms.
- Escalating severe cases to law enforcement for investigation.
- Filtering and blocking abusive messages before they reach the intended recipients.
- Collecting data to support disciplinary action and improve long-term safeguarding against online hate.
FIFA continues to lead the way in promoting respect, inclusion, and safety in football, ensuring that the beautiful game remains a platform for unity rather than abuse.
