The Super Bowl and FIFA World Cup are coming to the Bay Area — Freedom Insight is Kicking Off 2026 by Preparing Bay Area Airports for a High-Volume Travel Year
As the Bay Area prepares to host a series of major international sporting events in 2026, including Super Bowl LX, March Madness, and the FIFA World Cup, Freedom Insight is working with airports across the region to strengthen human trafficking prevention efforts through targeted training of frontline airport employees.
Research on the relationship between large sporting events and trafficking is mixed, and there is no conclusive evidence that events themselves increase trafficking. What is clear is that these events bring significant increases in travel and commercial activity, creating additional opportunities for traffickers to operate in crowded, high-volume environments. Hundreds of thousands of additional visitors are expected to pass through Bay Area airports, generating over a billion dollars in regional economic impact and increasing pressure on transportation systems and airport operations. In busy travel settings, disrupting the cycle of human trafficking depends heavily on trained staff.
A reported 38% of trafficking victims move through airports at some point during their exploitation, underscoring the importance of ensuring that airport workers are prepared to recognize indicators and respond appropriately. Airport employees interact with millions of travelers each year and may be among the few people positioned to notice concerning patterns or behaviors and take action to connect someone to immediate help.
Freedom Insight is entering its tenth year partnering with San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to offer human trafficking awareness training to airport employees. In 2026, the training will, for the first time, also be made available to tenants, contractors, and airline partners across the airport ecosystem. This broader availability creates the opportunity to reach tens of thousands of workers, reflecting SFO’s continued leadership in the aviation sector in advancing human trafficking prevention. Read more about Freedom Insight’s partnership with SFO here.
At San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC), Freedom Insight launched a new training partnership as Santa Clara County prepares to host the Super Bowl and FIFA World Cup matches at Levi’s Stadium in 2026. Human trafficking awareness training was completed by City airport employees in late 2025 and remains available to approximately 6,000 airport personnel across the broader airport environment. Read more about Freedom Insight’s impact at SJC here.
Charles M. Schulz–Sonoma County Airport (STS) has partnered with Freedom Insight since 2021, offering human trafficking awareness training to airport employees annually each January. This year, an updated version of the training is being made available that reflects input from trafficking advocates and survivors, helping ensure that the language and framing remain victim-centered and trauma-informed.
These partnerships reflect a shared commitment to regional preparedness as the Bay Area enters a period of increased travel and activity. By working across multiple airports to make training accessible to frontline staff, Freedom Insight is helping build consistent awareness and response capacity throughout the region. This coordinated approach supports safer travel environments during major events and beyond, strengthening the systems that help connect people to help when it is needed.
