As the world marks the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, FIFA has reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating discrimination and abuse in football, revealing that its Social Media Protection Service (SMPS) has scanned 33 million posts since its launch in 2022.
The service, currently active at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025™ in the United States, is safeguarding 32 teams and 2,019 player, coach, and official accounts from online abuse. Since becoming permanently available to all 211 FIFA member associations in 2024, the SMPS has:
-
Analyzed 33 million posts and comments across 15,302 accounts in 23 tournaments, qualifiers, and friendlies.
-
Hidden over 10 million abusive comments, shielding players, their families, and followers from harmful content.
-
Reported violations to social media platforms, leading to account suspensions and, in severe cases, legal action.
The AI-powered system operates in three key steps:
-
Monitoring: Scans public accounts for abusive, discriminatory, or threatening comments.
-
Moderation: Automatically hides harmful content (with account owner consent).
-
Reporting: Flags violations to platforms and, if necessary, law enforcement.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino emphasized the importance of the initiative: “Football must be a safe space—on and off the pitch. The SMPS is a crucial tool in our fight against online hate, ensuring players can focus on the game without fear of abuse.”
FIFA is also strengthening ties between football authorities and judicial systems to ensure legal consequences for offenders. The move comes as online abuse continues to plague athletes, with racial slurs, threats, and harassment rampant across social media.
With the Club World Cup 2025 underway, FIFA’s message is clear: Hate has no place in football. The SMPS stands as a vital shield, allowing the beautiful game to thrive—free from toxicity.
