A recent report by the activist group Hope Not Hate reveals that racist abuse aimed at England footballers was significantly amplified on social media during the 2026 World Cup. The analysis of over 300,000 posts on the platform X (formerly Twitter) identified more than 5,500 explicitly racist posts targeting England players.

The organization argues that X's recommender algorithm prioritizes toxic content to increase engagement and profit, as posts that provoke anger generate more interaction. This leads to harmful posts appearing prominently in users' feeds rather than being confined to obscure areas of the platform. Patrik Hermansson, a senior researcher at Hope Not Hate, stated, "X is actually benefiting from this hate," emphasizing that the algorithm effectively showcases these posts to a wider audience.

Among the players targeted, Jude Bellingham faced the most racist abuse, while Bukayo Saka and Kobbie Mainoo experienced the highest proportions of racism relative to their mentions. Additionally, Djed Spence faced a distinct stream of anti-Muslim abuse.

The FA expressed concern, stating, "all players have the right to play without being exposed to hateful, discriminatory and distressing content online," and called for service providers to ensure a safer online environment.

Hope Not Hate criticized current measures against online abuse for focusing too much on post-incident responses rather than preventing amplification of such content. Hermansson noted that social media companies possess the tools to modify their algorithms to reduce the visibility of abusive posts.

The organization urged Ofcom, the UK's media regulator, to act under the Online Safety Act to mitigate the effects of algorithms that fuel abuse during major sporting events. In response, Ofcom committed to holding tech firms accountable for ensuring safer platforms, citing collaborative efforts with police and sports bodies to combat online abuse.