Seattle takes center stage this summer as a host city for the FIFA World Cup 2026, one of the largest global sporting events ever held in the Pacific Northwest. While most fans are focused on the excitement on the field, an equally important effort is taking place behind the scenes: ensuring that the World Cup is conducted in a way that respects and protects human rights.

On this episode, we're joined by UW Law professor Anita Ramasastry, one of the world's leading experts on the intersection of business and human rights. She has served as an advisor to the United Nations Human Rights Council and currently serves as an independent human rights advisor to FIFA's Human Rights subcommittee.

Professor Ramasastry played a key role in developing Seattle's Human Rights Action Plan for the FIFA World Cup 2026, which identifies and addresses potential human rights risks associated with a major global sporting event — from labor protections and discrimination to public safety and the treatment of vulnerable communities.

In our conversation, we discuss why human rights have become an essential part of hosting the World Cup, what lessons FIFA and host cities learned from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and how Seattle identified its own unique challenges and opportunities. We also talk about the broader legacy of this work and the role UW alumni, students, faculty and staff have played in helping shape this groundbreaking effort.