No ICE in the Cup: Citizens at the forefront for rights and community at the World Cup
The success of the World Cup depends on who you ask. Jennifer Li, director of the coalition Dignity 2026, which brings together dozens of national and international groups to advocate for a tournament that accounts for the communities that sustain it, knows this well. “I think that FIFA will call it a success. I think for soccer fans it’s going to be excellent: when the matches start and until the last whistle’s blown, we’re all going to experience a huge dopamine hit. But we can’t forget the people who actually live here because this World Cup is happening on the backs of these people,” she says over a video call a week before the ball starts rolling. Li coordinates and leads civil-society organizations working to ensure that the planet’s biggest sporting event guarantees the rights of workers and attendees, both now and in the future.
