World Cup team captains unveil unified message against hate

The captains of the teams participating in the 2026 World Cup exchanged special pennants denouncing hate and discrimination before the start of some matches, as part of an initiative launched by the FIFA to coincide with the International Day for Countering Hate Speech.

In the matches between the Czech Republic and South Africa, Mexico and South Korea, Switzerland and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Canada and Qatar, the captains exchanged pennants bearing the slogan “We Play Together.. We Stand Against Hate,” in a symbolic message aimed at promoting the values of respect and inclusion both inside and outside the game.

FIFA explained in an Instagram post that the slogan was written in English on one side of the pennant, while the other side carried a translation in the local language of the two participating teams in each match, a step that confirms the global nature of the campaign.

The initiative comes as the International Federation continues its efforts to combat abuse and hate speech, particularly across digital platforms, having announced that its social media protection system for players and officials has deleted more than 388,000 abusive posts and comments since the tournament began on June 11, according to Reuters.

FIFA confirmed that additional anti-discrimination and anti-hate events were held inside the stadiums and on digital platforms concurrently with today’s matches, as part of a broader campaign aimed at establishing a more respectful and inclusive environment in global football.

The exchanged pennants between the captains have become one of the most prominent symbolic messages seen at the tournament so far, as FIFA seeks to use the public momentum of the World Cup to spread anti-discrimination and anti-hate messages around the world.

Featured image via the Canary