How is ILGA’s general relationship to or experience with mega sporting events?
As we look ahead to the 2026 World Cup, I think it's important to recognize that inclusion in sports doesn't exist in isolation. The question is not just whether the World Cup will be inclusive, but inclusive for whom, where, and under what conditions. When you talk about ILGA's general relationship to mega sports, we don't see mega sports as just sporting moments, we see them as human rights moments that share visibility, safety, access, and public debate. And 2SLGBTQIA+ people are part of an overall ecosystem. We're not just spectators, but you'll find us as fans, workers, journalists, volunteers, and athletes.
What are your specific concerns regarding the FIFA World Cup 2026?
One of my main concerns is that people might see this World Cup as happening in a uniform landscape. In the US and Canada, currently, we're not in the same place, especially when it comes to the broader climate for 2SLGBTQIA people, and particularly trans communities.
In many states across the US, we are seeing active restrictions targeting trans people, especially in sports. In many host cities, there are also concerns around immigration and documentation requirements, which can affect how people move through this space, especially people who are coming from abroad. Because safety is not just about protection from violence either. It's about dignity, freedom of movement, treatment at borders, and whether people can simply exist in public space without fear. So what if your identity doesn't match your documentation? And even though Canada generally has stronger protections, we're also seeing backlash there.
So when we ask about whether this will be a safe tournament, there’s no simple answer. For some, it may feel manageable. But for others, especially trans and non-binary people, racialized 2SLGBTQIA people, migrants, the risk will be significantly higher.
What do you think is special about the 2026 tournament?
I think what makes this tournament different from other kinds of sporting events is the scale and complexity, because it's happening across multiple countries and very different realities on the ground. This creates risks.
But it can also create opportunities to set a higher standard. A tournament of this size can push organizers and host cities to think more seriously about inclusion, and not just as messaging, but as a practice, and about accountability.
And the one positive shift we want to see is stronger engagement with local civil society and 2SLGBTQIA organizations, because real changes are practical and include better training, clearer protections, proper reporting systems, and real connection with communities. So the World Cup can provide the opportunity to create an environment of how it should be. Even if it's small steps, even if it's just improved relationships and inclusion of civil society, to us 2SLGBTQIA+ people, that would be huge.
What do you think will happen once the event moves on?
That's the underpinning of it all. Inclusion for us has to be a legacy, not a moment. And the World Cup can increase a number of things: Open conversations, shift perceptions and make 2SLGBTQIA people more visible within sports spaces.
But the reality is that impact isn't automatic. We have seen situations where inclusion is highlighted during the event to get support and then disappears afterwards. So the real test is what is left behind. After the event is gone, did it have an impact on making communities safer? Are there stronger protections? Do the protections implemented during the course of the World Cup stay on after, or does a city revert back to its practices after the World Cup is over? Are our relationships with institutions better than before? That's what real legacy is.
In the past, the Football World Governing body FIFA was vocal in campaigning against discrimination, including homo- and transphobia. This stopped completely during the FIFA Club World Cup Championship last year in the US. How do you see FIFA’s role in the context of the current rollback of LGBTIQ rights?
FIFA has the responsibility to be consistent in their messaging on non-discrimination. It can't speak strongly about inclusion only when it's easy. You can't speak about inclusion when you're outside and then when you reach the hotbed of the US, then you flip flop.
Because in the current global context, where 2SLGBTQIA+ rights, especially trans rights, are under pressure, silence also sends a message. So it's not enough just to proclaim, and then you say nothing. Silence can be just as deadly.
From our perspective, this is where leadership matters the most. If FIFA says football is for everyone, then this needs to be reflected in clear standards, visible commitment, and accountability, not just general statements.
Is there anything else you would like to add from your perspective?
The main thing I'd add is that this is not a marginal issue. 2SLGBTQIA+ people are already part of football and have been for a long time. They're in the stands, they're in workplaces, they're in the media, and they're in the community, and in sport itself. So this isn't about adding 2SLGBTQIA+ people into the picture, it is about recognizing that we are already there.
From a North American and Caribbean perspective, we're seeing that progress and backlash are happening at absolutely the same time, which makes this moment even more important.
For us, the key question is whether this World Cup will leave a meaningful legacy, not just something that appears inclusive for a few weeks, but something that actually improves people's everyday realities. Because ultimately, inclusion in sport should not be temporary. It should be lasting, equitable, and real.
If the 2026 World Cup is to leave a meaningful legacy, it really has to go beyond visibility to deliver structural change. That means investing in local communities, ensuring protections for workers and communities, and embedding accountability into how inclusion is delivered.
