A purportedly leaked police dossier has revealed a series of security threats and incidents allegedly involving players, officials and venues during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The tournament, hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, reportedly faced threats targeting Argentina captain Lionel Messi and Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo, along with security concerns at several venues. The claims are based on the reported contents of the leaked dossier and have not been independently verified here.
Threats Reportedly Targeted Messi
According to the report, Messi was allegedly targeted by multiple threats during the tournament.
Before Argentina’s match against Jordan, a caller reportedly contacted Dallas airport and threatened an attack at the stadium involving grenades and a rifle.
Ahead of Argentina’s match against Egypt, another threat reportedly appeared on social media warning of a bomb attack targeting Messi.
During the same match, authorities reportedly searched stadium waste bins after receiving information about possible explosives. Bomb disposal experts and trained dogs were deployed, but no explosive material was found.
Suspicious Person Reportedly Reached Ronaldo’s Hotel
Cristiano Ronaldo was also reportedly the subject of security concerns. According to the dossier, an individual allegedly attempted to obtain information about the footballer’s residence and another suspicious person reportedly reached his hotel while posing as a fan.
The report also claims that French referee François Letexier received thousands of threatening messages following his decisions during the Argentina-Egypt match.
Players including Alexander Sørloth and Jae-hun Kwon were also reportedly subjected to death threats after missing important opportunities during matches.
Security Tightened Around England Media Centre
The reported security measures extended beyond threats involving individual players and officials.
Following a security breach at England’s media centre, authorities reportedly introduced multiple layers of protection, including three security perimeters, concrete barriers, anti-sniper screens and a no-fly zone.
The reported measures have led to claims that the 2026 tournament was among the most heavily secured World Cups in history.
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