It is finally here—the kickoff of the FIFA World Cup 2026.
But beyond the thrill of this global event, we are frustrated. Given FIFA’s underwhelming commitment to prioritizing the human rights of players, workers and fans, this World Cup is bound to be remembered as unsafe, unfair and unaffordable.
Yet, we are incredibly proud of the concrete victories we have secured. Through our vital work in the México Unido, Migration that Works, and Dignity 2026 coalitions:
- We led the development of a model ordinance that provides critical recommendations for host cities’ human rights plans, centering workers’ voices, perspectives, and priorities.
- We trained a dozen cities on the trafficking risks and steps they can take to better protect immigrants and workers.
- We educated and mobilized migrant worker leaders across the U.S. and Mexico to identify, report, and prevent labor abuse and human trafficking.
- Through our work with Dignity 2026, we got FIFA to adopt some of our key language for its Human Rights Framework, including recommendations for governments to address international labor recruitment abuses; information asymmetries between recruiters and employers and migrant workers that may lead to human trafficking; access to legal representation; international labor recruitment and breach fees; and document confiscation.
But our work is not done with the first whistle. We are just getting started. The tournament is underway, and we are ready to support workers through:
- Contratados.org: Our “Yelp-like” platform helps workers safely navigate employers, share reviews, and dodge recruitment scams in real time.
- Binational Hotline: Our staff provide trauma-informed legal and social intake services across borders.
- Rapid Raid Response: We’re countering hostile immigration climates by deploying coordinated legal support networks to protect workers against potential workplace raids.
Thanks to your support, we are ready to defend migrant workers’ rights during these games and beyond.
Thank you for being part of our team!