- WARNING – GRAPHIC CONTENT
Outrage is spreading in the US as reports claim a 2030 World Cup host nation plans to kill roughly three million stray dogs, prompting boycott calls.
Morocco was confirmed in 2023 as a co-host alongside Spain and Portugal, a decision that animal rights groups say has coincided with an alleged campaign to cull stray dogs in several cities.
Activists argue the effort is intended to make urban areas and tourist hotspots appear cleaner and safer ahead of the 2030 tournament, as the country seeks to attract international visitors, fans and media attention.
In Defense of Animals, a US-based advocacy group, said: ‘These wounded, terrified animals are hauled off to remote sites, where they are poisoned or shot and dumped in mass graves, many still alive.
‘For months now, between 60 and 70 dogs have been disposed of every other day in cities like Marrakech and Agadir.’
Images showing dogs bleeding, butchered and dying from gunshot wounds in the streets have circulated widely on social media, fueling calls among Americans for a boycott of the 2030 World Cup.
‘If Morocco is really killing dogs to prepare for the World Cup 2030, the US, should boycott the World Cup and wage all-out economic war,’ one user wrote on X.
Laura Loomer, a far-right commentator, called the allegations ‘animal abuse,’ adding: ‘Every dog lover should BOYCOTT FIFA! The fact that FIFA is allowing Morocco to host the World Cup when Morocco is murdering three million dogs should be disqualifying.’
Activists argue the effort is intended to make urban areas and tourist hotspots appear cleaner and safer ahead of the 2030 tournament, as the country seeks to attract international visitors, fans and media attention
Images showing dogs bleeding, butchered and dying from gunshot wounds in the streets have circulated widely on social media, fueling calls among Americans for a boycott of the 2030 World Cup
A FIFA spokesperson told Daily Mail that during its bid for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, Morocco emphasized its commitment to animal welfare, noting government efforts to expand clinics and support programs for stray dogs.
‘With the bidding process now completed, FIFA is following up with its local counterparts with the aim of ensuring commitments are upheld,’ the FIFA spokesperson continued.
FIFA also said it is working with the animal welfare group International Animal Welfare and Protection Coalition (IAWPC), which convened a global panel of senior legal and animal welfare experts to review Morocco’s draft regulations; their recommendations have now been submitted to Moroccan authorities.
Morocco’s Embassy in London has denied the claims, insisting there is no cull of stray dogs and citing what it described as the country’s commitment to humane and sustainable animal management.
A spokesman said last year that Morocco launched a Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, Release program in 2019 and is investing in clinics, veterinary services, and municipal hygiene systems, adding: ‘It is entirely untrue that Morocco is planning to cull stray dogs ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup.’
However, the IAWPC said it ‘has documented widespread and systematic killings of both stray and owned dogs across Morocco, which it says are being carried out by so-called “death squads” in preparation for the country’s role as co-host of the 2030 FIFA World Cup.’
Les Ward MBE, Chairman of the IAWPC, said in a statement: ‘These killings are taking place every single day, in full view of children, tourists, and local communities.
‘It is relentless, merciless and utterly inhumane. Since the IAWPC campaign began, it has become clear to us and everyone else, that we are dealing with a slippery and untrustworthy government.
An estimated three million stray dogs live on Morocco’s streets
Images of dogs dead in the streets of Morocco have sparked cries for a boycott of the 2026 World Cup
Animal activist groups claimed to have seen documentation recording the dog killings
‘They make claims that have no basis in reality, including that the killing has ended, when every Moroccan knows it is happening every single day.’
The IAWPC has offered to help Morocco implement large-scale, humane dog population control strategies such as Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Release (TNVR), but says its repeated offers have been ignored.
While the 2030 World Cup will not be hosted in the US, many Americans have vowed to not watch the games after hearing the disturbing reports about Morocco.
One X user shared: ‘Boycott the World Cup. I won’t ever watch it.’
‘The cull and massacre of street dogs, with hideous painful poison and brutal beating to death has already started. People need to boycott this FIFA World Cup in Morocco,’ another X user posted.
Hollywood actor Mark Ruffalo has also thrown his support behind the IAWPC campaign to stop the killings in an X post that reads: ‘Killing millions of dogs to prepare for a global sporting event is not progress, it’s a moral failure.
‘The World Cup should unite the world, not be built on suffering that happens behind closed doors. Humane solutions exist, and choosing compassion over violence is a responsibility we all share.’