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Meta has announced a range of new safety measures and AI-powered protection tools ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, aimed at tackling scams, fraud, harassment, and harmful content across Facebook and Instagram.
The company says major global sporting events often attract a surge in online scams, including fake ticket sales, fraudulent travel packages, impersonation schemes, fake gambling websites, and bogus immigration services. To combat these threats, Meta is expanding its use of artificial intelligence, dedicated enforcement teams, and industry partnerships to identify and remove malicious activity before it reaches users.
As part of its anti-fraud efforts, Meta is collaborating with partners through the Global Signal Exchange (GSE) and its Fraud Intelligence Reciprocal Exchange (FIRE) initiative, allowing companies to share threat intelligence and disrupt scam networks across multiple platforms. The company highlighted a recent joint effort with Visa that led to the removal of a scam operation using fake FIFA World Cup 2026 branding to lure users toward fraudulent gambling websites designed to collect personal and financial information.
To improve consumer awareness, Meta will begin displaying Facebook alerts when users search for FIFA World Cup ticket information or interact with related groups. These alerts will encourage users to purchase tickets only from verified sources and provide quick access to reporting tools for suspicious content. The company is also working with organizations including the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC), the Canadian Anti-Scam Coalition, and Mexico’s consumer protection agency PROFECO to educate users about common fraud tactics.
Meta is also strengthening its content moderation efforts during the tournament. The company enforces policies against hate speech, harassment, bullying, and violent threats directed at players, teams, officials, and fans. According to Meta, between October and December 2025, it removed 2.6 million pieces of hateful content across Facebook and Instagram, with more than 74% detected proactively before users reported it.
Alongside AI-powered moderation, Meta is highlighting several user-facing safety tools. Instagram’s Hidden Words feature can automatically filter offensive comments, spam, and unwanted messages, while users can create custom keyword lists for additional control. The company is also expanding similar protection tools to athletes, teams, and public figures on Facebook during the tournament.
Additional features include Limit Interactions, which restricts messages and comments from non-followers or recently created accounts during periods of increased engagement, and Moderation Assist, which automatically filters content based on predefined rules such as links or images. Users can also disable message requests from unknown accounts, report abusive conversations, and take advantage of enhanced anti-impersonation and anti-fake-account protections.
Meta says these measures are part of a broader effort to create a safer environment for players, teams, creators, and fans during one of the world’s largest sporting events. The company added that it will continue investing in AI-powered moderation systems and partnerships with regulators, law enforcement agencies, and industry groups to strengthen platform safety throughout the FIFA World Cup 2026 and beyond.
Key Safety Features
- AI-powered scam detection and fraud prevention
- Facebook ticket scam alerts and safety reminders
- Cross-industry threat sharing through GSE and FIRE
- Hidden Words content filtering on Instagram
- Limit Interactions for managing unwanted engagement
- Moderation Assist for automated comment filtering
- Enhanced messaging safety controls
- Anti-impersonation and fake account detection systems
