Officials prepare for ‘unprecedented’ security operation as World Cup 2026 nears kickoff

With the World Cup one week away, security planners said they are preparing for an “unprecedented” operation to protect the largest tournament in FIFA history.

The 2026 World Cup begins June 11 in Mexico City and will be staged across 16 host cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The expanded tournament will feature 48 teams playing 104 matches over 39 days, with the final set for MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on July 19.

Security planning has become a sprawling effort involving more than 400 law enforcement agencies working alongside federal authorities and private security firms to protect stadiums, fan festivals, hotels and team base camps.

“This entire country’s police force is leaning in…It is an unbelievable problem set…It is unprecedented,” Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House FIFA World Cup 2026 Task Force, told ESPN.

Because matches are spread across 16 host cities in three countries, officials say coordination between agencies will be critical, particularly to track potential threats that could emerge in one city and surface in another.

The federal government is also working with local law enforcement on intelligence sharing, drone mitigation and cybersecurity defenses as officials prepare for risks linked to large-scale international crowds.

Security planning extends well beyond stadiums, with authorities focused on protecting transportation hubs, hotels, fan festivals and other public gathering points expected to draw millions of visitors throughout the tournament.

Officials and security experts have also warned that smaller host cities and secondary locations may face additional strain, given more limited resources compared with major metropolitan areas.

Planning also includes close monitoring of fan behavior from different countries to avoid misreading celebrations or marches that are considered routine in some soccer cultures but could appear disorderly to local police.

“What may look like a riot to a local police officer may actually be standard practice for a soccer fan from that country,” Giuliani said.

With kickoff approaching, attention is now shifting from long-term planning to execution as cities across North America prepare for what officials describe as the most complex security operation ever attempted for a sporting event.