FIFA Under Fire Over Missing Safeguarding Protections For Children

Forbes

4 hours ago

Teen activists from the Equality League call on FIFA to protect children at the 2026 World Cup on 19 ... More June, 2025 at Barclays Center in New York City, United States.
On Juneteenth, a group of local teenagers attended the New York Liberty's match against the Phoenix Mercury. They ate brisket sandwiches and fries, and enjoyed Breanna Stewart's 35-point cameo that ultimately didn't carry the home team to victory. More importantly, they had come to the Barclays Center to raise awareness for their 'Dear FIFA' campaign which spotlights the soccer body's lack of a comprehensive safeguarding policy for children.
In the stands, Ariana Dyk, aged 15 and a striker in her school's soccer team, started supporting the campaign because of the Larry Nasser scandal. A member of the Equality League Youth Council, she had a clear message for FIFA: 'Protect kids at all major sporting events so they can both enjoy and be a part of what makes them happy, so they can feel safe doing what they love.'
In a letter earlier this month to FIFA president Gianni Infantino and FIFA head of human rights Matthew Mullen, the Equality League demanded that FIFA implement a child safeguarding policy for the 2026 World Cup. FIFA and Mullen did not reply to questions for this article.
The letter called on FIFA to establish clear rules and reporting systems to prevent abuse, exploitation and harassment, and require mandatory safeguarding training for all staff and volunteers. 'The time for promises has passed,' wrote the Equality League. 'FIFA must lead the sports world by protecting the youngest people in it.'
FIFA is staging the expanded 32-team Club World Cup in the U.S., a tournament that taps into the lucrative club game and serves as a dress rehearsal for the 2026 World Cup that the U.S. will co-host with Mexico and Canada. Millions of visitors are expected. The 2026 bid promised to 'develop and implement child safeguarding protocols', but that framework has not been rolled out according to rights groups. Safeguarding also played a central role in the 'FWC2026 Host City Human Rights Framework' which promises to 'ensure and promote child protection.'
A recent report 'Keeping The Game Safe' by the University of Miami School of Law Human Rights Clinic and the Centre for Sport and Human Rights, detailed the risks to children at mega-sporting events, with substantial recommendations for FIFA and the 2026 hosts. Mandatory safeguarding training and establishing safeguarding officers are but two of them.
In April, Human Rights Watch wrote: 'Event organizers should put in place mandatory safeguarding training, binding child protection standards, designate trained and experienced safeguarding officers at each venue and host city, and implement a centralized reporting system. Venues should have child-centered design and stringent protections against child labor.'
FIFA does not have a good track record in protecting vulnerable members of society, illustrated by the sexual abuse scandal in Haitian women's soccer and the plight of migrant workers in Qatar. It even took the world federation years to establish a safe sport entity to protect female players.
It's the latest controversy to cast a shadow over FIFA. During the Club World Cup, soccer's world federation dropped its anti-racism campaign, prompting a backlash. 'It's more than a shame that a message of inclusion can't be broadcast to the world, and that those of us who are stakeholders in this area haven't been informed,' said Piara Powar, the executive director of campaign group body Fare.
Mara Gubuan, the founder and executive director of the Equality League, wants FIFA to follow up on the promise made by the 2026 bidders. Having campaigned on FIBA's ban of the hijab and the ban of Iranian female fans from stadiums in the country, Gubuan said: 'It's FIFA's responsibility - from top-down to establish and enforce policies to protect children in all activities related to FIFA.'
She added: 'We don't have any evidence that this is under way.'
Watching the New York Liberty, Sai Malladi, aged 15 and avid basketball player, concluded: 'Through FIFA - if the rules are actually in place - it will set a precedent around the world for a safer environment in sports for children.'