AI Monitoring: Protecting Professional Players

FIFA Threat Matrix Report

Purpose of the Report & Main findings

This study examined over 406,987 social posts across Twitter and Instagram targeting players and coaches for the EURO 2020 Final (England v Italy) and AFCON 2022 Final (Senegal v Egypt). The study period ran from the end of the semi finals until 3 days after each final.

FIFA Anti Discrimination Infographics

Main findings

VolumeOver 55% of players in both EURO 2020 and AFCON 2022 Final’s received some form of discriminatory abuse.
TypeHomophobic slurs most common form of detected abuse, with racism second.
RaceBukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford (England) were the most abused players in the EURO 2020 Final / Mahmoud Hamdy (Egypt) was the most abused player at AFCON 2022 Final’s.
PlatformsAbuse on Twitter is constant across the period whilst Instagram abuse is more event driven – i.e. losing final. Tactically, over 75% of Instagram comments and abuse included emojis.
GeographyMajority of abusers come from the players home nation.
Club affiliationPlayer club identity is a trigger for abuse. i.e. Mohamed Salah received abuse on Twitter from fans who are supporters of Liverpool’s English Premier League rivals.
Officials/ManagersAFCON coaches received double abuse of EURO 2020 managers.