Counter-terrorism experts warn that the 2026 Fifa World Cup faces significant risks from homegrown extremists and potential Iran-linked plots amid depleted federal law enforcement resources.
Security experts are warning of a heightened terrorism risk for the upcoming Fifa World Cup in the United States, according to The Guardian. Vulnerabilities are reportedly being amplified by the US-Israel conflict with Iran and a depletion of federal counter-terrorism expertise. While the 104-match tournament is a “hard target,” experts fear “soft targets” like fan festivals and transport hubs are at risk from lone actors and drone strikes.
Javed Ali, a former National Security Council director, noted the strain on resources: “There are just so many games. There’s only so many resources to deploy to try to buy down risk.” Anonymous federal sources described being “alarmed” by the scale of the operation. Despite a $625m Fema allocation, Colin Clarke of the Soufan Group criticized shifting priorities, stating, “I don’t think this administration is taking counter-terrorism seriously enough.”
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