Former Nigeria international Mercy Akide-Udoh was one of the voices that resonated on the eve of the FIFA World Cup 2026 clash between South Africa and Czechia in Atlanta.
FIFA brought together an influential coalition of football legends, policymakers, technology leaders and community advocates to mark the International Day for Countering Hate Speech and reinforce the sport’s commitment to combating racism and discrimination.
The landmark forum, titled “Stop Hate, Protect Football – What Actually Works Against Hate Speech?”, featured notable voices including former FIFA World Player of the Year George Weah, Nigerian football icon Mercy Akide, City of Atlanta officials and TikTok representatives.
Discussions focused on practical solutions to tackle online and offline abuse, while highlighting the success of FIFA’s Social Media Protection Service, which has reviewed more than 250 million posts since its launch and removed over 30 million harmful comments.
During the ongoing FIFA World Cup 2026 alone, nearly 388,000 abusive posts have already been removed.
The event concluded with participants pledging concrete actions to combat hate speech, reinforcing FIFA’s message that football must remain a force for unity, inclusion and respect across the globe.
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