The 2026 World Cup is just months away, and Lyft is preparing all its drivers for the biggest sports event of the year … revealing to TMZ Sports it is providing plenty of resources to keep travelers safe — including anti-trafficking education.
We spoke with Lyft to get a blueprint for how it’ll handle the WC, which will bring thousands of fans around the world to hosting cities like Los Angeles, New York/New Jersey, Miami, and more.
The on-demand ridesharing service said it’s thrilled to be part of this “landmark moment,” offering riders coming from Europe a special promo code to welcome first timers, AKA “FreeNow customers.”
Lyft is also making sure its drivers are educated on what to expect during the World Cup … and as part of the effort, will provide training, including anti-human trafficking courses, to help drivers recognize potential risks while keeping fans safe.
“We’ll be hosting driver education events and providing drivers in host markets with detailed ‘know before you go’ communications covering venue configurations, pickup and dropoff logistics, and other key info in the weeks leading up to each game,” the Lyft spokesperson said.
“Additionally, we’ll be surfacing anti-human trafficking educational resources to drivers across all host markets as part of our ongoing commitment to driver and community safety.”
According to the United Nations International Labour Organization, 27.6 million worldwide fall victim to human trafficking. In the U.S., ICE Homeland Security Investigations has uncovered operations in bars, hotels, escort services, and more.
Federal special agent Aristides “Harry” Jimenez reportedly said all major sporting events often see a large increase in human trafficking activity.
In fact, Josh Singleton, Commander of the Santa Clara County Human Trafficking Task Force, told us his officers arrested a bunch of sex traffickers and pimps after Super Bowl LX.