The 2026 Fifa World Cup faces the “very real risk” of cyber attacks from anti-Western “hacktivists”, according to experts.
This summer’s tournament – being co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada – is set to be targeted by rogue states determined to disrupt the global spectacle.
An attempt to harm Fifa World Cup infrastructure could hit fans and ticketing, as well as broadcasting capabilities and digital sponsorship screens.
With 104 matches across 16 cities, Darren Anstee, chief technology officer for security at Netscout, says the Fifa World Cup’s “scale and visibility make it a marquee target for hacktivists and cybercriminals”.
Fifa World Cup cyber attacks
“There is a very real risk of geopolitically motivated distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) hacktivists targeting the event,” he added.
“Over the past few years, we’ve seen a significant rise in both the number and sophistication of hacktivist groups leveraging DDoS attacks.
“Anti-Western hacktivists are expected to target the championships, driven by motives ranging from Fifa’s suspension of Russia to broader ideological opposition.”
The 2018 Winter Olympics, held in the South Korean city of Pyeongchang, was disrupted by a cyber attack. Russia was accused of orchestrating it but denied involvement, blaming “pseudo-investigations on the theme of Russian fingerprints”.
Cyber threats have become a key consideration for organisers of major sports events in recent years, with even domestic organisations such as the British Horseracing Authority hit last year.
Although athletes and supporters won’t arrive for another six months, adversaries will already be probing the defences of organisers, sponsors and critical infrastructure providers,” Anstee said.
“Based on experience from previous events, these early probes will escalate into waves of attacks as the tournament nears, with threat actors looking for weaknesses to exploit.
“A major concern is distributed denial-of-service attacks. They are easy to launch, hard to trace and capable of disrupting live broadcasts, venue connectivity and public safety systems.”
Dangers
The Fifa World Cup is already one with a number of political obstacles, including tensions between host countries, concerns over visas and the unpredictability posed by President Trump following his operation in Venezuela.
Hundreds of broadcasters will be involved, and sponsors will want the two-month tournament to go off without a hitch.
“For organisers, sponsors, media and critical infrastructure providers, preparation is essential,” Anstee concludes. “They need a clear view of the threat landscape and consistent defensive capabilities across their supply chains. Without this, a single incident could cause major operational disruption, hit revenue and inflict lasting damage on brand reputation and audience trust.”