{"id":634758,"date":"2026-05-10T13:06:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-10T13:06:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/634758\/"},"modified":"2026-05-10T13:06:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-10T13:06:10","slug":"fifa-world-cup-matches-face-heightened-terror-risk-in-us-amid-iran-conflict-world-cup-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/634758\/","title":{"rendered":"Fifa World Cup matches face heightened terror risk in US amid Iran conflict | World Cup 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fifa<\/a> World Cup matches set to be held across the United States face heightened terrorism risks, with experts warning that vulnerabilities are being amplified by the US-Israel conflict with Iran<\/a> and a depletion of counter-terrorism<\/a> expertise within federal law enforcement.<\/p>\n

The biggest threat stems from homegrown violent extremists, often lone actors that may have become radicalized online by extreme political views or jihadists such as the Islamic State (Isis), said four counter-terror experts interviewed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to protect not only each venue, but all the other links in the chain that get to the point of the game,\u201d said Javed Ali, associate professor at the University of Michigan, who previously served in the FBI<\/a>, Department of Homeland Security, and as national security council senior director for counter-terrorism. \u201cThere are just so many games. There\u2019s only so many resources to deploy to try to buy down risk against a number of different threats.\u201d<\/p>\n

In March, the FBI held a large residential training exercise on domestic threats, bringing together agents from across the country who work in domestic terrorism ahead of major national security events such as the World Cup<\/a>.<\/p>\n

When FBI agents at the meeting discussed the scale and complexity of securing the tournament, they were \u201calarmed, because there\u2019s a lot that needs to be dealt with\u201d, said one member of federal law enforcement in attendance, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. \u201cIt will be hard to control, given the environment and the number of locations of matches and watch parties across the United States. There is a very real possibility that something bad will happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

Although the US is experienced in securing large-scale stadium events such as the NFL Super Bowl<\/a>, experts say the sheer number of World Cup matches will require an unprecedented level of coordination, vigilance and stamina.<\/p>\n

The tournament will be about six weeks long, with 104 matches in the US, Canada and Mexico. The US will host 78 matches, in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle and East Rutherford, New Jersey, which is about 10 miles from Manhattan.<\/p>\n

A view of Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The stadium will be known as Philadelphia Stadium for the World Cup games. Photograph: Emilee Chinn\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

The Department of Homeland Security has announced that only the final<\/a> \u2013 which will be at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford \u2013 will be designated as a \u2018national special security event\u2019 (NSSE).<\/p>\n

The designation triggers a centralized federal operation led by the United States Secret Service<\/a>, with intelligence from the FBI and emergency coordination by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema). It includes hardened security perimeters, magnetometer screening, temporary flight restrictions enforced by the Federal Aviation Administration, counter-drone systems and continuous counter-terrorism monitoring across federal, state and local agencies.<\/p>\n

The other matches will be designated a special event assessment rating (SEAR) 1 or 2, which are the two highest risk rankings for events and also require the deployment of federal law enforcement.<\/p>\n

Fema has allocated <\/a>$625m to support security and emergency preparedness for the World Cup. While all stadiums hosting matches are considered \u201chard targets\u201d due to extensive security measures, counter-terrorism experts say the greater concern lies with \u201csoft targets\u201d \u2013 including hotels, transportation hubs and fan gatherings across the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlanning to protect the Fifa World Cup 2026<\/a> has been going on for many months and the FBI continues to work closely with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners. The games are taking place around the country and require the work of many partners to ensure the safety of those in the stadiums, as well as the surrounding communities,\u201d an FBI spokesperson said in a statement to the Guardian.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said: \u201cDHS is working around the clock with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to identify and mitigate potential threats to World Cup matches, fan fests, and to a travel sector that will see a dramatic increase in traffic. DHS is cognizant of lone wolves and small cells inspired to commit violence, as the DHS Office of Intelligence and Analysis is working closely with state, local, tribal, territorial, and private sector partners to keep them apprised of the latest and most relevant threat information available.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lone actors and \u2018soft targets\u2019 heighten risk<\/p>\n

All 11 host cities will host official Fifa<\/a> fan festivals, with large-screen broadcasts, concerts and live entertainment running throughout the tournament. Thousands of additional watch parties at bars and venues across the host countries will extend crowds well beyond stadiums and official sites.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re still going to have densely populated crowds waiting outside of stadiums. There will be the vulnerability of drones, which are ubiquitous, easily mastered by individuals or non-state groups, including terrorist groups,\u201d said Colin Clarke, director of research at the Soufan Group, an intelligence and security consulting firm based in New York City.<\/p>\n

Experts say the challenge is not only protecting potential targets, but ensuring coordination across the agencies responsible for securing them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I\u2019ve seen is that we have lapses in our security when different agencies, such as Homeland Security, FBI, and our regional local police officers, fail to communicate with each other,\u201d said Tracy Walder, a former CIA and FBI special agent who was working at the CIA in 2001 during the 9\/11 attacks. \u201cThat\u2019s probably our biggest problem.\u201d<\/p>\n

People sit outside of SoFi Stadium as Los Angeles prepares for the 2026 World Cup. Photograph: Daniel Cole\/Reuters<\/p>\n

The 2024 assassination attempt against Donald Trump<\/a> on the campaign trail in Butler, Pennsylvania, and the 6 January 2022 fatal siege on the Capitol<\/a> in Washington DC were examples of these types of communications breakdowns, she said.<\/p>\n

The World Cup is especially vulnerable because of the current conflict with Iran, which has historically been linked to attempted attacks on US targets, said the experts interviewed.<\/p>\n

The potential for an Iran v United States match in Texas on 3 July on the eve of Independence Day, coupled with the expected heavy presence of the Saudi royal family, who have booked out an entire hotel in Houston for the tournament, raises additional concerns, said the federal law enforcement source. Saudi Arabia and Iran are longstanding regional rivals with a history of deep geopolitical and sectarian tensions.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have the Saudi royal family in close proximity to where Iran and the United States would be playing, it\u2019s like adding gas on the fires,\u201d said the source.<\/p>\n

Yet, concerns over so-called \u201csleeper cells\u201d \u2013 foreign terrorists that are embedded in the country and stay dormant for a period of time before launching an attack \u2013 may be overblown, some experts said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Iranians just don\u2019t have the people here to pull off an attack,\u201d said Ali. \u201cIf people who are actually trained or formally associated or linked to Iran\u2019s Quds Force were here and wanted to conduct these attacks, why haven\u2019t they tapped into those networks?\u201d<\/p>\n

In the past, Iran-backed terror plotters have needed to co-opt the criminal underworld here in United States and contract these attacks out to intermediaries such as professional criminals, Ali said.<\/p>\n

Murder-for-hire plots, such as the 2022 assassination<\/a> attempt on former national security adviser, John Bolton, which was attributed to an Iranian man who is allegedly a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), are examples of this tactic. The IRGC has also orchestrated several assassination attempts against the New York-based Iranian dissident, Masih Alinejad. One foiled plot in 2022 involved two members of a Russian mob who were hired to murder her in her Brooklyn home. In January, another convicted murderer from Brooklyn was sentenced to 15 years in jail for a failed plot to murder Alinejad in exchange for $100,000.<\/p>\n

These types of attacks are becoming more common since the outbreak of the US-Israeli war on Iran in late February. In the past few months, British authorities have uncovered a series<\/a> of Iran-linked plots in London in which operatives allegedly used criminal intermediaries, who are often recruited online, to carry out attempted attacks and assassinations against dissidents and political targets.<\/p>\n

\u201cLuckily, a lot of those are very amateurish, because they aren\u2019t trained operatives. They may not even be regime supporters,\u201d said Clarke.<\/p>\n

Experts warn that homegrown extremists acting alone pose one of the most immediate and difficult-to-detect threats.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight now we\u2019re living in a heightened threat environment,\u201d Walder said. \u201cYou can\u2019t kill an idea. You can take out leadership, but they\u2019re just going to replace themselves. The idea isn\u2019t ever going to die \u2026 We\u2019re just a few steps away from the next big attack.\u201d<\/p>\n

Recent attacks underscore the threat. In April, a lone gunman targeted the White House correspondents\u2019 dinner. On 1 January 2025, a man drove a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, then opened fire, killing 14 people and injuring dozens more; an Isis flag was later found in the vehicle. In March, an attacker with a prior Isis-support conviction opened fire on a Reserve Officers\u2019 Training Corps (ROTC) class at Old Dominion University, killing one instructor and injuring two cadets before being subdued.<\/p>\n

Agents draw their guns after loud bangs were heard during the White House correspondents\u2019 dinner at the Washington Hilton. Photograph: Mandel Ngan\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think this administration is taking counter-terrorism seriously enough. Resources have been shifted to other portfolios,\u201d said Clarke. \u201cThe authorities let an Isis guy just roam free, acquire a firearm and then try to kill ROTC students. But they have ICE agents in Home Depot<\/a> parking lots trying to pick up [undocumented] landscapers. The priorities are a bit mixed up here.\u201d<\/p>\n

New threats and intelligence gaps<\/p>\n

Alongside human threats, security officials are increasingly focused on emerging technological vulnerabilities. While the skies above the stadiums will be no-fly zones, other mass gatherings could be vulnerable to drone attacks, said experts interviewed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve also seen terrorist groups over the years express interest in using drones, and talking about this on message boards,\u201d said Clarke. \u201cI think it\u2019s only a matter of time before we experience a terrorist attack on US soil with the drone involved.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the past, it\u2019s always been about protecting the venue or the people there,\u201d said Javid. \u201cAnd now what the [Washington] Hilton [correspondents\u2019 dinner] attack shows there\u2019s like a whole supply chain that has to be looked at as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Walder worked on counter-terrorism programmes focused on biological and chemical terrorist weapons during her time at the CIA, and believes the authorities have an understanding of those types of threats, she says. To her, some of the most concerning types of threats would be cyber or technological, \u201csimply behind because we just don\u2019t have the manpower that like Russia or China has\u201d, she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are in a very different place, technology wise, than we were in 2001, and so it takes less people to inflict maximum damage,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

In February, US counter-terrorism efforts were dealt a further setback with the firing of a Washington-based FBI counterintelligence unit, CI-12, which tracked foreign spies and terrorism threats on the US. They were ousted in retaliation<\/a> for their involvement in the investigation of Trump\u2019s alleged retention of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate, according to reports.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany folks have lost their jobs, and some for reasons that aren\u2019t exactly clear, which don\u2019t seem to be performance based,\u201d said Ali.<\/p>\n

Ali warned that maintaining a clear intelligence picture across agencies monitoring Iran-related activity was essential to detecting early signs of potential threats.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy hope is that these decisions that are being made are not contributing to the inability of the FBI that to execute its national security missions,\u201d said Ali. \u201cBecause that makes the country less safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

An FBI spokesperson said, \u201cWhile the FBI does not comment on specific personnel numbers or decisions, FBI agents and staff are dedicated professionals working around the clock to defend the homeland and crush violent crime. The FBI continuously assesses and realigns our resources to ensure the safety of the American people, and we surge resources based on national security needs.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Fifa World Cup matches set to be held across the United States face heightened terrorism risks, with experts…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":634759,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[23,3,21,19,22,20,25,24],"class_list":["post-634758","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-united-states","tag-america","tag-news","tag-united-states","tag-united-states-of-america","tag-unitedstates","tag-unitedstatesofamerica","tag-us","tag-usa"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/634758","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=634758"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/634758\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/634759"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=634758"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=634758"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=634758"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}