Kickstarting Human Trafficking Prevention in Preparation for 2026 World Cup Matches

Wherever there is an increase in crowds, there is a higher risk of human trafficking. Criminals know that crowded areas can hide the traces of their schemes. When multitudes gather, traffickers are more confident in their ability to elude security. So BEST is doing all we can to help businesses include human trafficking prevention planning as part of their preparations for all the World Cup soccer-related events slated for next summer!

We are reaching out to Chambers of Commerce in all 16 Host Cities across North America, and in all 9 Fan Zone Cities in Washington state to offer resources to inform their members about the importance of businesses countering human trafficking proactively. Several have already started disseminating information about human trafficking and BEST’s resources for employers. For instance, earlier this year BEST presented an awareness-raising webinar for members of the Seattle Southside Chamber of Commerce as part of its World Cup preparations. The Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce has published “How Employers Can Prevent Human Trafficking”, an overview of BEST’s consulting and training services linked from its World Cup Ready webpage.

BEST is partnering with the Seattle FWC 2026 Local Organizing Commitee on its Human Trafficking Prevention Initiative. Launched last June, the initiative includes offering 2,500 employees of Seattle-area businesses access to BEST Basics, our online training course for public-facing staff in any industry. The initiative also included a Human Trafficking Prevention Strategy Workshop facilitated by BEST. Attendees were highly engaged as we led them through a set of questions every business needs to address as part of strategic planning to prevent human trafficking on its premises. The workshop helped participants learn how to make their respective workplaces inhospitable to traffickers by assessing risks, crafting preventative policies, developing internal communication protocols, and determining which types of employees need to be trained to recognize and respond effectively to indicators of potential human trafficking situations. In post-workshop evaluations all attendees reported that they plan to share what they learned with colleagues, and continue developing a prevention strategy customized for their business.

These are just some of the ways BEST is helping employers get ready to prevent human trafficking before, during, and after the 2026 World Cup!