Human Trafficking, Gender-based Violence Threaten Mexico’s Position as World Cup 2026 Host

It’s no yearner a secret that big-ticket sports events take in increasingly more attending for their sports betting accessibility. This will only if bear on to increase as the ecosystem grows, but the fallout, inward sure situations, is also unwanted attention. This is potential the pillowcase for Mexico as it prepares to be a boniface of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The 2022 World Cup inwards Katar Peninsula was bighearted business organisation from every angle – broadcasting, merchandising, sports betting and more. Over $1.6 one thousand million in wagers just now inward the US and a put down $655 million inwards Anatole France are simply two examples of the role sports betting has inwards the competition.

However, as State of Katar proven as a host, in that respect are sure drawbacks, as well. Katar Peninsula received a lot of forged publicity for its come on to grammatical gender equality and human rights, but a FIFA look back of Mexico’s participation as a World Cup legion in tetrad years uncovered still more problems.

Mexico’s Dark Side Resurfaces

Despite the fact that the next World Cup is allay IV years away, preparations for its development are underway. In 2026, on that point will be threesome legion countries, including Mexico, the US and Canada.

However, for the logistics of the tournament, FIFA is analyzing the entire surround of the threesome countries. It has found areas of opportunity for improvement inward all of them, making special name of Mexico.

Through consulting truehearted Ergon Associates, FIFA has carried come out an analytic thinking of the threesome Mexican venues, which hold been rated negatively past the organization. Monterrey, Guadalajara and Mexico City (CDMX) will follow responsible for hosting the matches, but FIFA sees a lot of way for betterment before the games begin.

In Monterrey, for example, FIFA highlighted the amount of sex trafficking it detected. It pointed come out that the activity has been increasing in the region since 2017, the same year the threesome of World Cup hosts was selected.

The urban center is i of the most of import golf links in international networks of sex trafficking, according to international studies. 90% of all the victims of the swop are Mexican.

In Guadalajara, gender force and the high up rate of femicides via media the safety of visitors. The National Institute of Statistics and Geography reports that violence against women represents a major problem; however, the body politic claims to follow underdeveloped policies to block the activity.

Within the CDMX, public refuge is ace of the to the highest degree of import risks for FIFA. Here, the safety of women, cases of missing persons and verbal and physical force in public spaces are serious problems.

Police Looking the Other Way

On the other hand, analysts get cited law violence due to the involvement of certain officials in public protests and the path in which they pack out arrests inward public. In this sense, at that place are concerns well-nigh the security measures of journalists, both national and foreign.

This testament also want to be addressed before the World Cup 2026 to prevent repeats of what happened in Qatar. Numerous journalists reported losing their rights to covering fire games and having certain overzealous security personnel get hold of their equipment.

In increase to the aforementioned, the employment state of affairs is an of import subject of interest. In light up of the reports – albeit somewhat misleading – of poor workings conditions during the construction of Qatar’s venues, at that place will live increased scrutiny of travail conditions sledding forward.

FIFA Not Impressing Soccer Fans

The data format alteration for the next World Cup isn’t making a lot of friends. FIFA wants 48 teams inward 2026, instead of 32, with none of the hosts having to qualify.

The pilot idea was to carve up the teams into 16 groups of three. However, FIFA, with the facilitate of the association football industry, realized that this created an unbalanced competition.

Therefore, that complex body part will likely live discarded inward favour of something else. FIFA testament pretend a conclusion next year regarding alternative formats.

The goal is to yield to a greater extent countries an chance to participate; to make the World Cup to a greater extent inclusive. However, more games also signify to a greater extent money for broadcasting rights and sports betting. Therefore, the decision to spread out isn’t based solely on selfless intentions.