Report Details
A study by the activist group Hope Not Hate reveals a concerning trend on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. They scrutinized a vast collection of over 300,000 posts during the 2026 World Cup and uncovered a staggering number of racist messages, with over 5,500 explicitly targeting England's players. The group believes that X's algorithm, designed to maximize engagement, is at fault, as it promotes toxic content that sparks anger and outrage, thus keeping users engaged and boosting ad revenue.[S1]
Research reveals that Jude Bellingham was the primary target of online abuse, with Bukayo Saka and Kobbie Mainoo facing the highest percentage of racist comments in relation to their overall mentions. Djed Spence, a Muslim convert, encountered a specific type of anti-Muslim hatred. Approximately one-third of the racist posts were directed at players or the England team account, while the remaining posts referenced them indirectly.[S1][S3]
Amplification and Spikes
The research revealed that racial abuse at the outset of the tournament made up 1-2% of posts, but this figure rose to 4-5% on match days. After England's semi-final loss to Argentina, racist posts surged to ten times the usual rate. Hope Not Hate pointed out how a single post by a prominent individual can become a 'hate hub', attracting thousands of hateful comments. For instance, a post by Restore's leader Rupert Lowe, merely stating 'Jude Bellingham' after his goal versus Norway, garnered over 13 million views and a torrent of racist replies.[S3]
Calls for Action
Patrik Hermansson, a senior researcher with Hope Not Hate, believes X profits from the racist abuse, as it boosts engagement and the algorithm promotes it to users' feeds. He claims that blocking and reporting are insufficient, as they don't tackle the amplification issue, and suggests that social media platforms have the capability to adjust algorithms during spikes in abusive content. Hope Not Hate urges Ofcom to utilize its authority under the Online Safety Act to ban algorithms that intensify abuse and categorize major sporting events as 'high risk', compelling platforms to swiftly reduce the visibility of escalating hate speech.[S1]
A spokesperson for the FA emphasized that players deserve a safe online space, free from hateful messages. They urged service providers to take action and create a more secure environment. Meanwhile, Ofcom is putting pressure on tech companies to improve safety measures, holding them accountable if they fail to do so. Ofcom mentioned their collaboration with police and football organizations prior to the World Cup as a proactive measure.[S1]
