DRL BHR: Mexico United 2026

The U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL) announces an open competition for organizations interested in submitting applications for projects in Mexico to support realization of the labor rights commitments included in the United 2026 Human Rights Strategy for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

In 2018, FIFA included extensive human rights criteria in its bid requirements for potential World Cup 2026 host countries and cities – an important step in advancing human rights in the context of mega-sporting events. The winning United 2026 bid (the United States, Canada, and Mexico) incorporated a strong human rights strategy that addresses all aspects of human rights risks in the lifecycle of World Cup 2026, including a goal to ensure internationally recognized labor standards, including freedom of association, “are respected in relation to all those working on any activity related to the delivery of the Competition, and that cities, stadiums, and other employers implement best practices on a range of other labor issues labor [sic] including paying a living wage. Workers of any status should be able to raise issues related to their employment.” The United 2026 Human Rights Strategy provides an unprecedented opportunity to establish a model for addressing labor rights risks in mega-sporting events and for using the games as a catalyst to promote high labor standards and best practices by host governments and employers that last long after the games have ended.