Prostitution and the 2026 World Cup: New York police are pulling out all the stops.

As the 2026 World Cup kicks off in North America, New York authorities are preparing to confront the dark side of major sporting events. In an exclusive interview with the New York Post, top New York Police Department (NYPD) officials announced the full-scale deployment of their specialized units to track down and dismantle human trafficking and sexual exploitation networks throughout the tournament.

Authorities anticipate a significant increase in the number of trafficking victims passing through the city. Detective Gary Marcus, chief of the NYPD's Special Crimes Unit, told the New York Post that surveillance will be particularly heightened around major transportation corridors, including bus terminals and major rail hubs like Penn Station. Intensive patrols are also targeting several well-known local prostitution hotspots, such as Roosevelt Avenue in the Corona and Jackson Heights neighborhoods, as well as the East New York area of Brooklyn.

The New York Police Department's strategy also relies on close collaboration with civil society. Training programs have been conducted with employees in the hospitality industry and hospital staff to teach them how to identify the behavioral indicators of a situation of coercive control. According to investigators, victims are often recognized by concrete details, such as wearing clothing inappropriate for the weather, having untreated injuries, or systematically seeking eye contact before answering basic questions.

The challenge for law enforcement is immense. Kathleen Baer, NYPD Assistant Commissioner for Gender-Based Violence Policy, noted in the American newspaper that the massive influx of tourists historically leads to an increase in demand. She emphasized the complexity of these investigations when dealing with highly vulnerable victims, whether they are local underage girls or women displaced from South America whose identity documents and financial resources are confiscated by trafficking networks. Heavily intimidated by their pimps, these victims often exhibit a deep distrust of law enforcement, making rescue operations particularly difficult and highlighting the crucial importance of anonymous reporting by the public.