It's a Penalty Announces Global Partnerships and Star Athletes for Human Trafficking Prevention Campaign Ahead of the 2026 Global Soccer Tournament

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Mar 23, 2026, 15:21 ET

Campaign leverages the power of sport to educate, equip, and mobilise the public worldwide to recognise human trafficking signs, dispel myths and equip everyone with the tools to access support

LONDON, March 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- It's a Penalty today announced the roster of global and local partnerships and sports ambassadors confirmed to participate so far in its most ambitious and far-reaching campaign in the organisation's history, taking place ahead of the world's biggest soccer tournament. Spanning three host nations and multiple sectors across travel, hospitality, transportation and media, the campaign is projected to surpass the organisation's average global reach and engage millions worldwide. The campaign will unite leading global corporations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and professional soccer players to raise awareness of human trafficking, a crime affecting an estimated 50 million people worldwide, with a third being children. Additional partners and ambassadors will be announced in the coming months. Organisations interested in joining the campaign can reach out to Philippa King at [email protected].

Human trafficking remains one of the world's fastest-growing criminal activities. Major sporting events, while not the cause of trafficking, can magnify existing vulnerabilities, increase opportunities for exploitation, and highlight gaps in protection particularly faced by migrants, youth, and marginalized communities. Harnessing the international reach of the 2026 global soccer championship, It's a Penalty aims to ensure that millions of fans, travellers, and local communities have access to vital information and tools to protect themselves and others.

The It's a Penalty Human Trafficking Prevention Campaign running ahead of, and during, the global soccer event will officially launch later in 2026, with activities across airports, airlines, hotels, accommodation providers, transportation networks, media platforms, and fan venues throughout the 2026 host cities spanning three countries (U.S., Mexico, and Canada). Awareness tools will include educational videos, reporting mechanisms, public myth-busting, training for frontline staff, and resources for fans, travellers and the general public.

QUOTES

"The World Cup is one of the most powerful global moments to unite people behind a single purpose. By partnering with leading global brands and championing the voices of international athletes, our campaign will equip millions with the knowledge needed to recognise and report exploitation. Together, we are building a world where major events leave a legacy of protection, not vulnerability." - Sarah de Carvalho, CEO, It's a Penalty

"American Airlines has long partnered with law enforcement and non-profit organizations to help fight human trafficking, and we are proud to continue that work by joining It's a Penalty's largest ever Human Trafficking Prevention Campaign. We stand ready to help raise awareness around this important issue." — Jill Blickstein, Vice President of Sustainability, American Airlines

"Human trafficking demands action from the hospitality industry. Through our partnership with It's a Penalty, we're equipping accommodation partners across the US, Canada and Mexico with practical tools to recognize and respond to exploitation. Our reach and close relationships with partners allow us to ensure this critical message reaches the frontline teams who can make a difference." - Betsy Steckler, Regional Director of Partner Services in North America, Booking.com

"At Uber, safety is core to how we operate, and human trafficking is a year-round issue that often goes unseen. Major events like the FIFA World Cup create an important moment to raise awareness and challenge myths. Through our partnership with It's a Penalty, we're helping drivers, riders, and communities recognize the signs of exploitation and respond safely." — Meghan Casserly, Director of Public Policy, Safety and Accessibility, Uber

"We are committed to helping advance the global fight against human trafficking and exploitation. Combating these crimes requires worldwide, collective action. Through partnerships with experts, we equip our hosts, guests, and frontline teams with the training and tools to help recognize potential exploitation and put survivors first. As the FIFA World Cup brings millions of people together, we're proud to again stand with It's a Penalty to help create more vigilant, informed communities." –– Roger Kaiser, Vice President of Fraud & Safety Operations at Airbnb

"Every day the public learns more about the crisis of trafficking, and those of us in the gaming and hospitality industries must constantly evolve our actions to tackle this problem. As a partner It's a Penalty helps global companies advance collective efforts to recognize warning signs and work with communities and law enforcement to disrupt human trafficking. Together we can make sure the World Cup leaves a positive and lasting legacy in every host community." — Paul Pellizzari, Vice President, Global Social Responsibility, Hard Rock International & Seminole Gaming

"The It's a Penalty team is relentless in their work to not only prevent exploitation but to also educate the public on the signs of trafficking. As a media partner helping to build awareness around these signs and prevention measures across the country, we're grateful for organizations like It's a Penalty for the work they do to help save lives." - Debbie Cerrito, Senior Vice President, Business Development, iHeartMedia

Global Partners
It's a Penalty is proud to announce a coalition of global partners committed to raising awareness, distributing educational materials, and amplifying the campaign's message across travel, hospitality, and entertainment sectors. These organisations will support the campaign by providing training resources to staff, sharing awareness materials with customers, and helping disseminate the campaign's 30-second ambassador film.

American Airlines
Booking.com
Uber
Airbnb

Country Partners

Hard Rock (United States and Mexico)
iHeartMedia & iHeartImpact (United States)
IHG Hotels & Resorts (United States)

Local Partnerships Across North America
In addition to global partners, It's a Penalty works with local NGO's to help contextualise the campaign in each city. Local and regional collaborators will play an essential role in ensuring the campaign reaches communities in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, where the 2026 global tournament will be hosted. These organisations, alongside partnerships with airports and digital media companies, will support localised awareness tools, community engagement, and survivor-centred advocacy during the tournament build-up.

City of Atlanta (United States)
Office of Miami-Dade State Attorney (United States)
Wellspring Living (United States)
New Jersey Coalition Against Human Trafficking (NJCAHT) (United States)
The Women's Fund Miami Dade (United States)
Ally Global Foundation (Canada)
Fin de L'Esclavitud (Mexico)
Educando en Red (Mexico)
Te Protejo México (Mexico)
Agape (Mexico)
Anthus (Mexico)
El Pozo de Vida (Mexico)

Participating Airlines

British Airways
Emirates

International Soccer Ambassadors
It's a Penalty is honoured to welcome three world-recognised soccer figures as global ambassadors for the campaign so far. Each ambassador will appear on campaign materials such as posters and billboards and in the 30-second awareness film, reaching millions of travellers through airline partners, digital platforms, and partner networks. Their collective influence spans North America, Europe, and Latin America - key hosting and viewing regions for the tournament.

Tim Weah (United States)
César Azpilicueta (Spain)
Oribe Peralta (Mexico)

Visit www.Itsapenalty.org to learn more, and stay tuned for further announcements on the It's a Penalty 2026 Human Trafficking Prevention Campaign.

About It's a Penalty
It's a Penalty runs global awareness campaigns during major sporting events, reaching an average of 180 million people per campaign, in partnership with sports ambassadors, the travel, hospitality and tourism sector, law enforcement, NGOs and government bodies. Alongside these campaigns, we work with businesses through specialist consultancy and training to identify and mitigate modern slavery risks, strengthen supply chain practices, and lead in preventing exploitation. We also lead CommonProtect, our advocacy programme driving legal reform and systems change across the Commonwealth to protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA). Through education, training, awareness and targeted interventions, we collaborate with governments, businesses and communities to reduce harm and move towards a world free from exploitation and abuse.

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