The human rights advocacy group, Rights4Girls, has launched a new “Sex Buying Isn’t a Game” billboard campaign in New Jersey and several other states hosting 2026 FIFA World Cup games to call attention to the illegal sex trade surrounding sporting events and the harm to victims.
The billboards, with messages such as "Buying Sex? Get an Automatic Red Card” and “Buying Sex Will Draw a Penalty” will be seen along the New Jersey Turnpike to reach visitors who will be attending matches in Philadelphia and East Rutherford. The group also will have billboards in four of the 11 other U.S. host cities: Atlanta, Dallas, Kansas City, and Boston.
The New York-New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford (MetLife Stadium) will host its first match on Saturday, June 13 at 6 p.m. when Brazil and Morocco face each other on the pitch. The first World Cup game at Philadelphia Stadium (Lincoln Field) will be on Sunday, June 14 at 7 p.m. with a match between Côte d'Ivoire and Ecuador.
Rights4Girls says major sporting events, such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup, bring tourism, celebrations and global attention, but they also create conditions where traffickers and sex-buyers operate more easily because there are increased hotel bookings, short-term rentals, parties, rideshares and an influx of wealthy visitors.
“Buying sex is far from a victimless crime,” said Yasmin Vafa, executive director of Rights4Girls. “Major occasions like the FIFA World Cup bring a lot of fun and entertainment to cities, but they also attract hundreds of thousands of out-of-town and global visitors, including those seeking to buy marginalized women and girls for sex.”
“This is a disturbing issue year-round but can take place in a particularly concentrated way during big ticket events like the World Cup, Super Bowl or All-Star Games,” Vafa said. “It’s crucial for people to realize that in the shadows of all the celebration, there can be a dark underbelly of trafficking and exploitation.”
