FIFA Marks International Day for Countering Hate Speech with Renewed Commitment and Social Media Crackdown
As the football world unites to mark the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, FIFA has reaffirmed its stance against online abuse by unveiling new data from its Social Media Protection Service (SMPS)—a proactive initiative designed to protect players, coaches, and officials from toxic digital content.
First introduced at the FIFA World Cup 2022™ in Qatar, the SMPS has since grown into a cornerstone of FIFA’s safeguarding strategy. According to the latest figures, the service has now analysed over 33 million posts and comments across 15,302 social media accounts during 23 FIFA competitions, including qualifiers and friendlies.
In its most recent deployment at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™, the SMPS is monitoring 2,019 accounts linked to players, coaches, and match officials across all 32 participating teams. The enhanced version of the service aims not only to shield individuals from harm but also to prevent the wider normalisation of abusive language in football-related discourse.
Since 2024, the SMPS has been permanently available to all 211 FIFA Member Associations (MAs), providing global coverage in the ongoing fight against online hate. It operates on three key principles:
How the SMPS Works
-
Monitoring
The service scans public social media accounts of players, referees, and team staff for abusive, threatening or discriminatory content. -
Moderation
With the account holder’s consent, SMPS automatically hides offensive comments and replies from public view—protecting not only the individual but also their families, teammates, and fans. -
Reporting and Enforcement
Posts that breach platform terms of service are reported to the relevant social media companies, often resulting in account suspensions. Where necessary, FIFA escalates serious abuse cases to law enforcement.
A Decade of Abuse Hidden from View
To date, the system has removed more than ten million abusive comments from public visibility—blunting the impact of vitriol and shielding countless individuals from psychological harm.
FIFA also highlighted the importance of collaboration between football authorities and national justice systems, noting that legal consequences are vital in deterring future abuse and bringing perpetrators to account.
“Football Without Hate”
In a statement to mark the day, FIFA reinforced its ambition to foster a sport where all participants—on the pitch and online—are treated with dignity and respect.
“Football is a global language of unity,” a FIFA spokesperson said. “Our duty is to ensure that players and officials can perform without being targeted by hate—whether in the stadium or on social platforms.”
With hate speech continuing to infiltrate online spaces, FIFA’s commitment to combating abuse remains more than symbolic. The SMPS, now entrenched in the federation’s digital security toolkit, serves as both shield and signal: the game will no longer tolerate silence in the face of hate.