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The FIFA World Cup and human trafficking: How financial institutions can help

Kate Randazzo

May 18, 2026

0 min read

Large sporting events like the FIFA World Cup can exacerbate human trafficking

The upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup brings excitement for soccer fans around the globe, but for financial institutions and law enforcement, major sporting events also signal the need for heightened vigilance against human trafficking.

What is human trafficking?

Human trafficking is a crime in which force, fraud, or coercion is used to compel a person to perform labor, services, or commercial sex acts. Large-scale events often create increased demand for temporary labor, hospitality services, transportation, and commercial sex, creating opportunities for traffickers to exploit victims.

Financial institutions of all sizes play a critical role in identifying and reporting suspicious activity connected to human trafficking. According to FinCEN Director Andrea Gacki, “Timely reporting on suspicious activity potentially connected to human trafficking, regardless of threshold, is crucial in helping law enforcement aid possible victims and prosecute their traffickers.”

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued a Notice urging financial institutions in and around cities hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup to increase vigilance. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to draw millions of domestic and international visitors, and financial institutions of all sizes play a pivotal role in detecting and reporting suspicious activity related to human smuggling and human trafficking.

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Behavioral indicators and transactional red flags

Behavioral red flags may include the presence of a controlling third party who:

Speaks on behalf of the customer
Insists on remaining present throughout the interaction
Attempts to complete paperwork without consulting the customer
Retains possession of the customer’s documents or funds
Behaves aggressively or intimidates the customer

Additional warning signs may include customers who:

Appear malnourished, fatigued, or show signs of abuse
Do not know where they are staying or provide inconsistent stories
Show little control over their own finances or personal documents

Sex trafficking during major events

FinCEN notes that victims of sex trafficking may be forced to travel frequently to meet clients within short timeframes. As a result, victims or traffickers may exhibit unusually large travel-related transactions. Victims often receive payment for commercial sex acts in cash, but traffickers may also use peer-to-peer transfers, credit card payments, digital assets, or prepaid access cards.

Other transactional red flags include:

Frequent cash deposits into easily accessible ATMs
Rapid transfers of deposited funds to another account
Transactions inconsistent with a customer’s normal activity patterns

Labor trafficking during major events

The increased demand for labor and services surrounding major sporting events can also create opportunities for labor trafficking.

Seemingly legitimate businesses in host cities may use exploitative employment practices to meet staffing demands. Financial institutions may observe:

An absence or deviation from expected payroll expenses
Wages transferred from a victim’s account to another individual’s account
Large deductions from employee wages
Minimal or no transactions associated with maintaining essential living needs, which may indicate a trafficker’s financial control over a victim

Financial institutions are key partners in combating human trafficking

According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, working in the financial industry provides you the opportunity to report suspicious behavior involving 92% of the various types of human trafficking. When you encounter transactions that just don’t feel right, don’t hesitate to file Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) and call the National Human Trafficking hotline at 888-373-7888.

FinCEN also encourages voluntary information sharing among financial institutions and financial institution associations, including appropriate cross-border sharing with foreign financial institutions, to help identify and prevent potential money laundering or other illicit activity related to human trafficking.

Customer-facing employees are especially important in identifying potential trafficking activity because victims may have limited contact with people outside of their traffickers, other than when visiting financial institutions.

It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the number of potential human trafficking transactions you find, knowing the abuse that lies behind these transactions. The good news is there are data scientists designing ways to detect these patterns without human intervention. Financial institutions with AML software that incorporates AI will be empowered to find data that can free victims faster.

Learn more human trafficking behavioral indicators with this checklist: "Human Trafficking Red Flags."

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