As Fentanyl Takes More Lives, Drug-Free World Takes Prevention to Every World Cup Host City

LOS ANGELES, July 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The FIFA World Cup is filling stadiums, Fan Zones and city streets across North America with the world's biggest sporting event. At the same time, families across the continent continue to face one of the deadliest drug threats of this generation: fentanyl.

The Foundation for a Drug-Free World is meeting both moments with action.

During the 2026 FIFA World Cup, volunteers are distributing Truth About Drugs booklets in every host city across the United States, Canada and Mexico, bringing factual drug and fentanyl education to fans, businesses, churches, schools, police stations, youth groups, stadium areas and neighborhoods.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the first with 48 teams and three host countries. FIFA calls it the biggest edition of the tournament to date, with 104 matches across 16 host cities. Drug-Free World volunteers are using that full World Cup map—from Mexico to Canada and across the United States—to put prevention materials directly into people's hands.

The campaign has already surpassed 3 million booklets distributed, toward its goal of 4 million across the three host nations.

In Los Angeles, one of the newest volunteers is Javier, a father who lost all three of his sons to fentanyl. When he found The Truth About Fentanyl booklet, he asked how he could help keep other families from suffering the same loss. He joined volunteers at Los Angeles Stadium for a booklet distribution. While distributing, Javier said he did not feel the loss of his children as strongly because, "I felt like I was doing something about the situation and helping save the lives of others." He stayed after the other volunteers had left and took boxes of The Truth About Fentanyl booklets to distribute in his community.

That same spirit is showing up across the World Cup map.

In Toronto, volunteers covered several kilometers of Queen Street, King Street and nearby streets, placing booklets in businesses and speaking with police officers, restaurant owners and members of the public. At the Taste of Asia festival, people visited the Drug-Free World Mobile Exhibit where teens and adults signed the Drug-Free Pledge and a York Region police officer asked how he could help.

In Mexico City, Drug-Free World Mexico launched its World Cup activity at the Angel of Independence, where an estimated 400,000 fans gathered after Mexico's opening-match win at Estadio Azteca. Volunteers also distributed 15,000 booklets at a public event where thousands gathered for a Guinness World Records "human wave." In Guadalajara, a man who had previously used drugs asked for booklets to share with others trying to leave drugs behind.

Across the United States, the campaign has moved from Los Angeles Stadium to Philadelphia, Atlanta, Seattle, San Francisco, Houston, Austin, Kansas City and other cities. In Atlanta, a dance troupe performed directly in front of the Drug-Free World booth at a FIFA Fan Zone, drawing a crowd. In Seattle, a customer overheard a volunteer speaking with a shop manager and urged him to take the booklets, saying young people already have enough problems without drugs. In San Francisco, a youth football coach took booklets and an information kit for his players.

The Foundation for a Drug-Free World provides free Truth About Drugs booklets to anyone and supplies educators, free of charge, with a complete Education Package containing booklets, the Educator's Guide, posters, public service announcements and the documentary The Truth About Drugs: Real People, Real Stories. Its message is simple: people need the facts before drugs reach them.

Businesses, schools, churches, youth groups, community leaders and volunteers are invited to join the World Cup distribution effort by placing booklets in public locations, sharing them with youth and families or organizing distributions in their own communities.

To join the campaign, distribute materials or learn more about the Truth About Drugs program, visit DrugFreeWorld.org or sign up to volunteer.

SOURCE Foundation for a Drug-Free World