Boston Police Prepare for Surge in Human Trafficking with This Summer's FIFA World Cup Crowds

Boston officials are preparing for a surge in human trafficking this summer when massive crowds are expected to flock to the city for the FIFA World Cup, with police stings targeting the vulgar sex trade already planned for Mass and Cass.

“A lot of these large events — often you have increased human trafficking. You have increased assaults on women,” Boston City Councilor Ruthzee Louijeune said Thursday (March 12) at a Council hearing.

Boston Police Capt. Det. Terry Thomas said the department is “anticipating a significant increase” in human trafficking sting operations in the city in the coming weeks. Human trafficking has a history of being exacerbated by major sporting events like the Super Bowl and World Cup.

“We have a solid strategy that we’ll address,” Thomas said at the hearing. “We’re just going to scale it from the operations we’re doing. We do them in Charlestown, Mass and Cass, South Boston. We have different areas that we’ll conduct those operations. … We’re aware of that. We have the training within the building, and we’re ready for FIFA.”

Thomas said police see human trafficking prevention and enforcement as a key focus area for this year’s large-scale events in Boston, and are communicating with FIFA.

The city has a sordid history with human trafficking, which is a known criminal enterprise at the troubled intersection of Melnea Cass Boulevard and Massachusetts Avenue, where an open-air drug market has long festered and drawn large crowds.

Boston officials said there’s a heightened concern for human trafficking this year, as host cities have been known to see spikes in that criminal activity for major sporting events.

While Boston’s World Cup matches will be held in June and July at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Boston City Hall Plaza has been designated as the official FIFA FanFest site for fans to watch games if they can’t catch the action in person.

Mayor Michelle Wu has also said her administration is planning to boost the city’s annual block-party grants to allow watch parties and festivities to take place across all Boston neighborhoods.

“We know that Greater Boston is going to be a hub for just all of the activities that are coming,” said Kimberly Mendoza Iraheta, director of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence at the Boston Public Health Commission. She added that the city is expecting FIFA crowds to be comparable to those for Super Bowl host sites.

Mendoza Iraheta said the city is working with other local governments, state agencies, and nonprofit organizations that focus on sexual and domestic violence to prepare for a potential surge in human trafficking during the World Cup and other major events coming to Boston this summer.

“We know that a lot of survivors who have been harmed or may need help may not feel comfortable going to the police, and so how are we equipping the domestic and sexual human trafficking organizations to build the capacity to receive those for such an influx?” Mendoza Iraheta said.

“We do know there is research that has been done that shows that domestic violence incidents do go up when there are major sporting events,” she added.

Boston is not unique among FIFA host cities in planning for a potential human trafficking surge during this summer’s international soccer tournament.

In fact, FIFA has required that host cities develop human rights action plans for this year’s tournament that focus partly on violence and abuse prevention, and “prioritize the welfare of groups or populations that may be at a heightened risk of being adversely impacted in relation to FIFA World Cup 2026 activities.”

Host cities have been encouraged to focus on human trafficking protections in their action plans, according to a human rights framework on the FIFA website.

In December, the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security held a task force hearing that focused on efforts to prevent human trafficking at upcoming mass gathering events in the United States including the FIFA World Cup and the 250th anniversary celebrations this year, and the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.

U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, a Texas Republican who chairs the committee’s special events security task force, shared statistics at the hearing that he said show an estimated 27.6 million people are being trafficked worldwide.

That number breaks down to 77% of people in forced labor and 23% in sex trafficking. Men and boys account for 57% of trafficking victims, while women and girls account for 43%, according to McCaul.

“Trafficking occurs every day in the U.S., across the globe, and in our own communities,” McCaul said. “As we prepare to host the largest international sporting event in history, it is essential that law enforcement, advocacy groups, industry partners, and the federal government work together to disrupt trafficking operations and protect the most vulnerable among us.”

In Boston, Louijeune said she expects to see a correlation between domestic and sexual violence, and major sporting events this year. She said the “proof is in the pudding” that “heavily male-dominated events bring more violence against women.”

“As we’re celebrating and I’m excited to celebrate the World Cup,” Louijeune said, “I’m also very anxious and worried about what that means for people who live here and for people who will be brought here against their will.”

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