Passion Held Hostage - The 2026 World Cup and the Human Rights Crisis
The World Cup is the world’s biggest sporting event—a celebration of passion and emotion, as well as global attention and enormous profits. After a long dry spell, Austria is finally back in the finals in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, and the anticipation is correspondingly high. But away from the stadiums and the cheering fans, critical questions are increasingly coming into focus: What social, political, and human rights challenges come with hosting such a mega-event? And how are the media and civil society responding to them?
Featuring presentations by Hanna Stepanik (Fairplay/VIDC, Sport and Human Rights) and Martin Wassermair (political scientist, Reporters Without Borders), followed by a discussion with the audience.
Hanna Stepanik is a project officer at the fairplay Initiative and heads the “Sport and Human Rights” division. Previously, she worked at the University of Vienna and for NGOs in England, among other places. www.fairplay.or.at
Martin Wassermair is a historian, political scientist, and journalist; he has held numerous teaching positions and authored publications in the fields of art, culture, politics, media, the information society, remembrance culture, and political education; From 2016 to 2026, he was head of the political editorial department at DORFTV; he is currently Secretary General of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Austria and a contributor to the soccer magazine Ballesterer. https://wassermair.net/
VHS Linz in cooperation with Reporters Without Borders Austria and Fairplay / VIDC
