The excitement surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to unite millions of football fans across the globe. But behind the celebrations, charities are raising concerns about another reality that often receives far less attention: domestic abuse during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Support organisations say major football tournaments can coincide with an increase in reports of abuse, not because football causes violence, but because perpetrators may use emotionally charged events as another opportunity to exert control over their partners and families.
For domestic abuse survivor Katy Longhurst, football matches came to represent something far more frightening than sport.
She recalled a heartbreaking conversation with her son, who once told her, 'Today is going to be a bad day.' When she asked why, his answer was simple: 'Because the football's on.'
That memory remains one of the clearest examples of how domestic abuse affects children living in violent households. Longhurst said she eventually realized she was never preparing for a football match. She was preparing for the abuse she feared would follow.
Speaking to Al Jazeera's Ava Warriner, Longhurst described one particularly violent assault by her former partner.
'It wasn't the football. And it wasn't the drink. It was him,' she said.
She recalled being headbutted repeatedly until she collapsed to the floor. After the attack, she said, her former partner walked away before starting another confrontation with people who had witnessed what had happened.
Her experience reflects a message that domestic abuse charities have repeatedly emphasized ahead of the tournament. Football itself is not responsible for abuse. Responsibility lies solely with the perpetrator.
Charities are warning domestic abuse will rise during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) June 28, 2026
Al Jazeera's Ava Warriner examines what the evidence shows and why the root causes extend far beyond football. pic.twitter.com/II2aLf3jUq
Why Experts are Warning About Domestic Abuse During the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Charities are once again preparing for an increase in requests for help during the tournament.
Research cited by Al Jazeera found that reports of domestic violence during football tournaments rose significantly during the 2014 FIFA World Cup. According to the study, reports increased by 26 percent when England won, by 38 percent when England lost, and remained 11 percent higher the following day regardless of the result.
Those figures do not mean football causes violence.
Instead, specialists say existing patterns of abuse can intensify during emotionally charged sporting events, particularly where coercive control and violence are already present.
Alessia Bianco, Senior Manager at Hestia, explained that alcohol can sometimes worsen abusive behaviour, but stressed that it should never be viewed as the cause.
'Alcohol can exacerbate the behaviours that they perpetrate,' Bianco said. 'Being really clear that alcohol isn't a reason for domestic abuse.'
She added that children in abusive households often develop survival strategies, knowing when to leave the room or stay out of the way as tensions rise.
‘Some people are probably dreading the World Cup… if they’re in an abusive relationship, they know what’s coming’.
— Cerys Jones (@reallycerys) June 30, 2026
You’ve probably seen the stats by now. The World Cup can exacerbate domestic abuse - why, and what can be done?
Free read@TheAthleticFC https://t.co/H6iLUSuh2d
Women's Aid Says Football is Only an Excuse
This year's Women's Aid campaign, called 'The Other Kick Off,' aims to raise awareness of football-related domestic abuse ahead of the tournament.
The campaign comes after Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin faced criticism for suggesting England's football team needed to 'keep winning' to help protect women and girls from domestic abuse.
Women's Aid rejected that idea. Veronica Oakeshott, the charity's Head of External Affairs, said the evidence does not show that football causes abuse.
'The figures don't tell us that football causes abuse,' Oakeshott explained.
She said football can heighten the likelihood of violence in relationships where abuse is already taking place. Still, she stressed that domestic abuse remains a year-round issue affecting families regardless of sporting events.
That distinction is central to the World Cup domestic abuse warning being shared by support organizations.
Experts caution that framing football as the cause risks shifting responsibility away from offenders. Instead, they say tournaments may simply provide another situation that abusive partners exploit to justify or escalate their behaviour.
#WorldCup26
— Fare (@farenet) June 29, 2026
Domestic abuse charities have reported a sharp rise in helpline demand during the World Cup, one campaign logged a 73% jump after England's win, while research found that 52% of women fans face sexist abuse at matches. https://t.co/wvIuVTYxMM pic.twitter.com/Lqe4L8pc4j
Why Children are Often the Hidden Victims
Longhurst's son's words illustrate another aspect of domestic abuse that often goes unnoticed.
Children living in abusive homes may learn to anticipate violence long before adults outside the family recognize what is happening.
Rather than looking forward to an international football match, some children associate tournament days with fear, arguments, or physical violence.
Support workers say this anticipation can leave lasting emotional effects, even when children are not physically harmed themselves.
Longhurst hopes her experience helps others understand that abusive behaviour should never be excused by sport, alcohol, or the outcome of a match.
'Football doesn't make us unsafe,' she said. 'That man makes us unsafe.'
