FAQs

Initially established as the Safe Football Support Unit, YourSide is our working name.

We place survivor experience at the heart of the development and implementation of our policies and practices (trauma-informed). This is because it is survivors who understand, through lived experience, what heals and what harms; and the importance of reversing “power over” abuses.

• We prioritise your emotional and physical safety.
• We ensure collaborative relationships based on trust and respect.
• We are transparent in our communication with you.
• Our enquiries are made in a sensitive way by our professional team members.

We understand the impact of trauma and aim to mitigate its effects, to minimise re-traumatisation, and to support your healing, resilience, and well-being.

We are referring to interpersonal, physical, emotional, or sexual violence or abuse in football.

• Please refer to our glossary of terms for further information

Our goal is to ensure that anyone affected by interpersonal physical, emotional or sexual violence in the football ecosystem has timely access to impartial guidance and expert support.

The football ecosystem extends to all settings where football-related activities occur under the remit of FIFA, the six continental confederations (AFC, CAF, CONCACAF, CONNEBOL, OFC and UEFA), or FIFA national member associations. Our services and policies apply to all individuals of any country, who are participating, at any level, in football organised by a FIFA member association or FIFA, where incidents of interpersonal violence and abuse are committed by football officials, players and match agents and football agents licensed by FIFA, specifically in cases covered by the FIFA Code of Ethics. We offer assistance to victims and survivors regardless of the existence or outcome of a related investigation.

Our confidential support services and case management are independent of FIFA, the FIFA Foundation, and any other organisation or entity. We do not conduct investigations or issue sanctions. Instead, we offer you expert support from the outset, and should you decide to do so, we can help you to navigate the football judicial process, and / or — with your consent — assist you in referring your case to the appropriate authority.

• If you wish to make an immediate report to FIFA Ethics, please refer to the FIFA Reporting Portal.

Your voice matters deeply to us. By sharing your experiences and thoughts, you help us understand what truly supports healing and safety. Your feedback guides us in improving our services as we aim to respond with care, respect, and compassion. It is an important part of how we review our work independently and make football safer for everyone.

• Respect, Safety & Dignity – Do no harm; prioritise safety and well-being.
• Confidentiality – Information shared only with informed consent (unless required by law).
• Empowerment – Victims and survivors decide what support is right for them.
• Trauma-Informed – Services delivered with sensitivity and care.
• Cultural Responsiveness – Inclusive, accessible, and locally-based where possible.
• Timely Response – Quick action taken when someone asks for help or reports abuse or violence, making sure their safety and well-being comes first.

Any information shared by you will be held on our secure system in a confidential manner. That means only a select number of individuals at YourSide will have access to your details and on an as-needed basis.

You may contact us at any time on our secure platform, allowing for written, oral and/or anonymous interaction. All channels are trauma-informed, multilingual, accessible to persons with disabilities, and available globally.

• In the event of emergency / life-threatening situations, please contact local emergency services first.

Once you have sought our support via our secure platform, you will receive an acknowledgement and a case reference number. You will then have the opportunity to speak with a member of the YourSide team who will advise you about the possible next steps specific to your situation. If you prefer, you may remain anonymous during this exchange.

YourSide prioritises the safety, dignity, and well-being of victims and survivors and aims to avoid causing additional trauma, harm, or risk. We are committed to letting you share what you feel able to share at any moment. You will be invited to communicate the following information, and only to the extent that you feel comfortable to do so:

• How can we support you.
• Description of the alleged incident(s).
• Timeframe and place of occurrence.
• Football connection (individuals or entities involved).
• Victim, survivor and/or whistleblower’s consent to engage.

In the event of emergency / life-threatening situations, please contact your local emergency services.

• To be treated with dignity and without discrimination.
• Confidentiality and control over your personal information.
• Your informed consent — voluntary, reversible at any time.
• Updates on your case progress.
• Access to supportive services regardless of outcomes.
• Never to be asked or pressured to sign anything that stops you from speaking about your experience.
• Access to your personal information at any time.

Yes. We understand that you may prefer to initially speak with us without sharing your identity. An anonymous submission will be treated as such until and unless you wish to be identified. Please note that your anonymity may limit our ability to assist you further.

We are committed to respecting your wish to remain anonymous in any communication and the YourSide team will provide you with guidance and support to assist you with weighing considerations around your anonymity if desired.

We are a survivor-centred institution and act based on consent guidance. In a first-aid decision-making process that is led by you, we will discuss and assess the risks, potential support and alternative pathways available. We ultimately aim to empower you to make informed choices while maintaining safeguards and mitigating any secondary trauma or risk of retaliation. From the outset, you will be informed about your rights, confidentiality and the need for your consent (informed, voluntary and specific). You have the right to access your data, to withdraw your consent, and to request the deletion or restriction of your case file.

As soon as we receive your request for support, we will start the assessment process and will aim to provide you with a timely response. You will be advised about the types of support we can assist you with, and with your agreement we will define the next steps.

If you decide to seek our support and / or tell us about an incident, you will have space for confidential conversations, and we will protect any personally identifiable information shared in confidence.

YourSide assistance is aimed at providing information such that victims and survivors can make appropriate choices for their well-being. Assistance does not depend on filing a report, identifying a perpetrator or the existence or outcome of an investigation by any relevant authorities. All guidance and support considers a survivor’s or victim’s familial, social, and cultural contexts. Where appropriate, possible and necessary, YourSide seeks to provide access to qualified and trauma-informed service providers who can provide safe, confidential, and culturally appropriate support.

• Access to Support Services and Medical Care – Emergency treatment (PEP, STI, injuries).
• Psychosocial Support – Counselling, safe shelter, basic needs (food, clothing, transport).
• Legal Guidance – Information on criminal, ethics, and disciplinary options.
• Safety & Security – Risk assessment, safety planning, referrals to survivor-centred authorities.
• Advocacy & Accompaniment – Support through football or legal proceedings

YourSide is financed by the World Football Remission Fund. This fund was created on 23 August 2021, after the United States Department of Justice awarded the sum of USD 201,776,233 to the FIFA Foundation as compensation for the losses suffered by FIFA, Concacaf and CONMEBOL as victims of decades of football corruption schemes. These funds were seized from the bank accounts of former officials who were involved in, and then prosecuted for, corruption in football. The money went into the newly formed World Football Remission Fund, established under the auspices of the FIFA Foundation to help finance football-related projects with a positive community impact across the globe.