Ahead of the FIFA World Cup next month, the Church in Mexico is concerned that an influx of tourists could lead to an increase in human trafficking, exploitation and violence. Source: Catholic World Report.
Only three weeks remain until the start of the World Cup soccer tournament which will bring together 48 participating countries. It is the first time a World Cup has been hosted by three countries and spread across 16 host cities: 11 in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada.
With the arrival of the millions of tourists Mexico is expecting during the event, the Church has expressed concern that “risks may increase” with regard to “human trafficking, sexual exploitation and other forms of violence”.
The Commission for the Protection of Minors for the Primatial Archdiocese of Mexico issued a statement on 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”.
The Primatial Archdiocese of Mexico called upon authorities to “strengthen prevention, early detection, responsible reporting and the protection of potential victims during this period”.
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 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”.
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Church in Mexico calls for combating human trafficking and exploitation during 2026 World Cup (By Diego López Colín, ETWN News via Catholic World Report)
