Case File — AI FairPlay

AI FairPlay

Transforming football's future through artificial intelligence — accountability, inclusion, and protection for the world's game.

Presented by Sofonie Dala, Sustainability Impact Volunteer

Full presentation — AI FairPlay
Happening Now — FIFA World Cup 26™
USA · Mexico · Canada Co-hosting 16 cities — 11 US, 3 Mexico, 2 Canada
Jun 11 – Jul 19, 2026 39-day tournament, the longest World Cup ever
Round of 32 Knockout stage underway as of today
Jul 19 · MetLife Stadium Final, East Rutherford, New Jersey

This is exactly the moment AI FairPlay is built for: with 48 teams, three host nations, and 104 matches, ticket fraud, governance gaps, and abuse reports scale up fast. In May 2026, attorneys general in New York, New Jersey, and California opened investigations into FIFA's World Cup ticketing practices over dynamic pricing complaints — a live example of why independent oversight matters.

Opening Statement

The Beautiful Game Faces Ugly Truths

Football is the world's game. The FIFA World Cup is its crown jewel — a celebration of unity, passion, and human achievement. It is the stage where nations unite, where legends are born, and where billions of fans share unforgettable moments.

Yet beneath the glamour lies a series of crises that threaten the integrity of the sport and the safety of millions. These challenges demand immediate action.

The Record

The Challenges We Must Confront

1,398 Discrimination cases, 2024–25
57% Cases in youth football
Qatar '22 Exposed systemic abuses
Case 01

🚫 Discrimination & Abuse

Over 1,398 cases of discrimination reported in the 2024–25 season alone. Racial slurs, sexist harassment, and homophobic chants plague stadiums and social media.

57% of cases occur in under-18 competitions, normalizing prejudice at an early age.

FIFA's response has been weak — symbolic fines, closed-door matches, inconsistent enforcement. These measures fail to deter offenders.

Case 02

⚖️ Governance Flaws

Structural failures have enabled systematic human rights abuses. Qatar 2022 exposed forced labor, mass evictions, and police violence.

Reforms since 2016 delivered little improvement. Oversight boards were dismantled.

Without accountability, FIFA risks losing its moral authority. Governance flaws weaken trust and undermine the values FIFA claims to uphold.

"These challenges are interconnected. Discrimination erodes inclusivity. Governance flaws enable corruption. Societal crises exploit the communities football is meant to inspire."
The Stakes

Why These Challenges Matter

Imagine the consequences if these issues remain unresolved:

  • Players silenced by fear of abuse
  • Fans excluded by financial exploitation
  • Communities scarred by trafficking and fraud
  • FIFA itself stripped of credibility

The World Cup should be a beacon of unity, not a symbol of division.

The Response

The Solution: AI FairPlay

What is AI FairPlay?

AI FairPlay is a platform where artificial intelligence is the core functional element, built with IBM's advanced AI technologies. It is designed to tackle discrimination, governance flaws, and societal crises head-on.

It is not just a tool, but a framework for accountability, inclusion, and protection.

How AI FairPlay Works

🔍

Real-Time Analysis

AI analyzes reports and social media in real time to detect abuse and recommend immediate action.

🔗

Workflow Integration

AI connects and organizes workflows across abuse monitoring, governance audits, and fraud detection.

📄

Document Intelligence

AI reads and extracts data from FIFA contracts, disciplinary reports, and financial documents.

🧠

Pattern Recognition

AI provides context and reasoning, identifying patterns that point to trafficking hotspots or fraud.

🤝

Fan Assistant

AI acts as a trusted assistant for fans, offering verified information on tickets, visas, and safe travel.

Instant Action

AI ensures nothing slips through the cracks with automated alerts and recommendations.

The Build

Prototype Functions

A working preview of the three core functions — click a tab to see each one in action.

Describe what happened. AI FairPlay scans your text for offensive or threatening language, scores its severity, and prepares it for review — nothing is sent anywhere, this runs in your browser.

Your report stays anonymous unless you add contact details.

Recent reports in this demo

Ask about tickets, visas, refunds, or travel — or paste a reseller / agency name to check it against known scam patterns.

Pick a host city and a date to see real fixtures, plus where it's actually safe to buy a ticket.

Where it's actually safe to buy tickets

  • FIFA.com / FIFA Ticketing — the only primary source. All official allocations and resale go through FIFA's own platform.
  • Authorized hospitality partners — listed directly on FIFA's host-city pages, never through a link sent in chat or social media.
  • Be wary of: sites promising "guaranteed" seats below face value, sellers asking for bank transfer or gift cards, and listings that appear right after you post about looking for tickets.

Real case in point: in May 2026, attorneys general in New York, New Jersey, and California opened investigations into FIFA's own ticketing practices over dynamic pricing and seat-location complaints — a reminder to verify every purchase, even official-looking ones.

Real transparency context, plus a document-risk search across contracts, disciplinary reports, and filings.

$7,568M FIFA total revenue, 2019–2022 cycle (FIFA's own published figure)
IFRS Reporting standard FIFA's financial statements must follow
2016 Year KPMG resigned as FIFA's auditor amid the corruption scandal
3 states NY, NJ & CA investigating 2026 ticketing practices

These four figures are real, sourced facts about FIFA's finances and governance history — everything below this line is illustrative demo data showing how AI FairPlay would search live documents.

Document risk index (demo)

Why AI FairPlay Matters

👥 For Players

Safer, more inclusive environments free from discrimination and abuse.

🎫 For Fans

Protection from fraud, trafficking, and exploitation during tournaments.

⚽ For FIFA

Restored credibility through transparency and accountability.

🌍 For Society

A model for how AI can safeguard communities during global mega-events.

Full Time

The Vision

"Imagine a World Cup where every child feels safe in the stands. Where every player competes free from abuse. Where every fan travels without fear of fraud or exploitation."

That future is possible — but only if we act.

AI FairPlay is not just a solution for FIFA. It is a solution for humanity. Let us innovate responsibly. Let us govern transparently. Let us protect communities. And let us ensure that football remains what it was always meant to be: the beautiful game.

🔬

Innovate Responsibly

Use AI to solve real problems, not create new ones.

📊

Govern Transparently

Build systems that hold power accountable.

🛡️

Protect Communities

Ensure safety and dignity for all participants.

The Challenges Are Immense, But So Is The Opportunity

If we confront discrimination, reform governance, and protect society, the World Cup can truly become a beacon of unity. It can show the world that sport is not just entertainment, but a force for justice, inclusion, and human dignity.