James Uthmeier Maintains Fight Against Human Trafficking During 2026 FIFA World Cup

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier reaffirmed the state's effort to combat human trafficking with Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Stadium) set to host six more matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup while speaking at a press conference at the Florida International University Graham Center this week.

"We are taking proactive approach and joining forces across government and private industry to combat human trafficking," Uthmeier said in a release. "Large-scale global events bring an increase in trafficking activity and crimes of exploitation, which is why we are standing together to get ahead of the bad guys. With six more World Cup matches in Miami, South Florida will see record-breaking tourism, but we will not that devolve into record-breaking crime."

Miami Stadium holds a capacity of over 64,000, with tens of thousands of more fans watching in the surrounding area. FIFA's first match at the stadium, Uruguay vs. Saudi Arabia on Monday, drew nearly 63,000 fans.

As many as 1 million fans could travel to Miami-Dade County for the FIFA World Cup before it's all said and done.

"Human trafficking is modern-day slavery, and there is no place for it in South Florida. As millions of visitors for the World Cup, law enforcement, businesses, and community leaders are working together to ensure that traffickers find no safe haven here," U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Jason Reding Quiñones said. "The Southern District of Florida is committed to identifying victims, dismantling trafficking networks, and holding those who profit from human exploitation fully accountable. Our message is simple: if you traffic human beings in South Florida, we will find you, we will prosecute you, and we will seek justice for your victims.”

Attorney General Uthmeier and the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office led by Katherine Fernandez Rundle added $1.5 million in state funds and aid to statewide prosecutors to Fernandez's Human Trafficking Task Force to help in efforts, including prevention, deterrence, investigations, and prosecution of human trafficking in February 2026.

Attorney General Uthmeier announced over 1,600 child predator and human trafficking arrests during his tenure earlier this month.

“Human traffickers revel in their ability to dehumanize their victims, particularly their child victims, by stripping them of their individuality and turning them into walking money machines dispensing cash to the trafficker,” Fernandez Rundle said. “Only effective partnerships, such as our partnership with Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier and our local, state and federal law enforcement communities, combined with the help and assistance of our business and educational communities can end the activities of these criminal traffickers.”