AI-generated fake videos, viral hoaxes and real racism are colliding at the FIFA World Cup. From a fabricated Ronald Koeman rant and false claims targeting Algerian fans to the racist abuse of Kylian Mbappé and FIFA investigations, misinformation is spreading alongside genuine discrimination. Vedika Bahl fact-checks the biggest World Cup racism claims, debunks the false ones, and separates AI-generated deception from real incidents of racist abuse on and off the pitch.
As the FIFA World Cup heads into the quarter-finals, the tournament has been marred not only by multiple reports of racism and xenophobia, but also by a surge of AI-generated content and false claims exploiting the issue.
