Advancing Child Safeguarding in North American Sport: Practical Actions for Decision Makers

Safeguarding children and young people in sport has become an increasingly important priority across North America as preparations continue for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and regulatory frameworks continue to evolve to address abuse, exploitation, and violence in sport environments.

In this context, Advancing Child Safeguarding in North American Sport: Practical Actions for Decision Makers, published by the Centre for Sport and Human Rights (CSHR) this month as part of its Generation 2026 initiative, examines the legal and governance frameworks applicable in Canada, Mexico, and the United States and identifies priority areas for strengthening child protection in sport and in the context of major sporting events.

Our partner Pablo Perezalonso associates Pablo Rueda and Anitza Velázquez, together with intern Santiago Rojas, contributed the legal research on Mexico’s regulatory framework featured in the report.

With respect to Mexico, the analysis identifies regulatory challenges and opportunities to strengthen institutional safeguards aimed at protecting children and young people in sport.

Key findings include:

• The absence of a centralized safeguarding body for sport, and the role of DIF Nacional and SIPINNA as key child protection authorities.

• The implications of the 2025 reforms to the General Law of Physical Culture and Sports, which heightened institutional awareness of abuse risks within sport environments.

• Overlapping federal, state, and municipal regulatory frameworks that create challenges for the effective protection of young athletes.

• Safeguarding risks associated with mega-sporting events, including exploitation, human trafficking, harassment, and child labor in host cities.

• Opportunities to strengthen inter-institutional coordination and develop more robust safeguarding protocols across all levels of sport.

• Legal obligations derived from Mexico’s constitutional framework on children’s rights as applied to the sport context.

The report’s findings are particularly relevant for sport organizations, federations, public authorities, and event organizers operating in Mexico. The convergence of the 2025 regulatory reforms and the FIFA World Cup 2026 present an opportunity to review internal policies, strengthen reporting mechanisms, and improve institutional responses to child safeguarding concerns.

The full report is available in English through the Centre for Sport and Human Rights.