Only three weeks remain until the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the most important national team tournament in soccer, which will bring together 48 participating countries. It is the first time a World Cup is hosted by three countries and spread across 16 host cities: 11 in the U.S., three in Mexico, and two in Canada.
With the arrival of the millions of tourists Mexico is expecting during the event, the Catholic Church there has expressed concern that "risks may increase" with regard to "human trafficking, sexual exploitation, and other forms of violence."
In this context, the Commission for the Protection of Minors for the Primatial Archdiocese of Mexico issued a statement May 19 acknowledging that while sporting events of this magnitude "present an opportunity for encounter, togetherness, fraternity, and cultural exchange," they can also be exploited by "criminal networks that operate through deception, manipulation, coercion, exploitation, and the abuse of individuals."
In the Mexican cities that will host matches — Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara — the arrival of "more than 5.5 million international visitors" is anticipated, according to Gabriela Cuevas Barrón, the Mexican government's World Cup coordinator.
Reports from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, UNICEF, and Amnesty International have warned that this massive movement of people "entails a massive influx of visitors with a potential impact on tourism-related sexual exploitation."
In light of this situation, the Primatial Archdiocese of Mexico called upon authorities to "strengthen prevention, early detection, responsible reporting, and the protection of potential victims during this period."
How could a person fall into the hands of these networks?
The bishops' statement reiterated several warnings issued by the Citizen Council for Security and Justice of Mexico City regarding risk factors that require special attention; among them is the use of social media, which has been identified "as a means for recruiting minors."
The council also issued a warning regarding "a growing trend of recruiting individuals of other nationalities — primarily from Colombia, Venezuela, and Honduras — with false promises of obtaining legal immigration status."
The organization drew attention to the lack of awareness surrounding this type of crime and recommended the implementation of "targeted awareness campaigns, particularly in sectors with high exposure during the World Cup."
What can a member of the Church do to help?
The Archdiocese of Mexico urged priests, deacons, men and women religious, catechists, and pastoral workers to "actively join this effort through concrete actions aimed at raising awareness and prevention."
Among the proposed actions, particular emphasis was placed on the need to "speak clearly about this crime within pastoral settings." In this regard, the archdiocese encouraged the "placement of informational materials in visible locations" in parishes and places where people gather at churches.
The archdiocese recommended "guiding parents and guardians regarding the risks present in digital environments" as well as "disseminating protocols for the protection of minors and promoting a culture of caring in catechesis and youth groups."
Likewise, it proposed including "moments of prayer for victims of trafficking, exploitation, abuse, and violence."
The archdiocese further reminded that, in the event of a potentially risky situation, "one must not directly confront the potential aggressor or trafficker, nor publicly expose the potential victim."
The recommended course of action, it stated, is "to act with prudence, safeguard one's personal safety, listen without applying pressure, inform the right people, and refer the matter to the competent authorities."
Various national and international organizations have launched the website Mundialsintrata ("World Cup Without Trafficking") where users can access information and materials related to this initiative, which aims to promote the identification and safe reporting of human trafficking cases.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
