Ottawa, 8 June 2026 – Today, in the lead-up to the FIFA World Cup in North America, Women’s Shelters Canada (WSC) kicked off an awareness campaign about the connection between major sports events and increases in gender-based violence.
Internationally, according to UNESCO and UN Women, police reports of domestic violence increase by up to 33% during major sporting events such as the World Cup. In Canada, police-reported data consistently demonstrate that intimate partner violence is widespread, underreported, and escalates in moments of social stress, crowding, and alcohol-fuelled environments.
This month and next, the World Cup is being hosted by major cities across Mexico, the United States, and Canada. In preparation, WSC’s “Make a Game Plan” campaign lets soccer fans know that support is available if they or someone they know is experiencing violence.
“This campaign is about raising awareness about one of the many supports shelters provide – safety planning,” said Anuradha Dugal, executive director of Women’s Shelters Canada. “People don’t need to physically move into a women’s shelter to get help. They can call a shelter’s 24/7 crisis line for help in developing a personalized, practical plan to stay safe while in a relationship, planning to leave, or even after leaving.”
One key aspect of safety planning is having a Go Bag. This bag can be kept in a trunk, at an office, or with a friend – anywhere it can be grabbed quickly if needed. A list of suggested items to keep in the bag – everything from ID documents to medication and toiletries to precious mementos – is available on MakeAGamePlan.ca.
“This is not about vilifying FIFA, soccer, or sports in general,” said Dugal. “It’s about being prepared when a major sports event comes to Canada, where lots of people will gather to watch, often in alcohol-fuelled environments. We want everyone to have fun when cheering for their team, and being safe is an integral part of that.”
The campaign consists of radio ads in Toronto and Vancouver, the two Canadian host cities, as well as digital ads and social media posts throughout the country. This campaign was made possible through a generous in-kind donation of assets from Point Blank, Canada’s impact agency. Additionally, Rogers, StackAdapt, and Bell donated ad space – Rogers and StackAdapt for the radio ads, and Bell for digital ads. Finally, Wave Productions donated studio space and audio editing. Women’s Shelters Canada is incredibly grateful for the support from all five companies.
Sports are unpredictable. The increase in domestic violence isnʼt. Make a game plan.
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For media enquiries, contact:
Kaitlin Geiger-Bardswich, Director of Communications and Advocacy
kbardswich@endvaw.ca | 613-680-5119 x 113
Women’s Shelters Canada brings together 16 provincial and territorial shelter organizations and supports the over 600 shelters across the country for women and children fleeing violence. If you or someone you know is experiencing violence, you can find your nearest women’s shelter and its crisis line on www.sheltersafe.ca.