Washington: A leaked police dossier has shed light on a series of alleged security threats reported during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including claims of planned attacks on football’s biggest stars, match officials and players who became targets of angry supporters.
The tournament was co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. Spain won the title after defeating Argentina 1-0 in the final.
According to a report by The Sun, which cited Spanish outlet Informacion.es, Lionel Messi was among the main targets in several incidents recorded by authorities, as reported by Gulf News.
Threat Before Argentina Game
Before Argentina’s group-stage fixture against Jordan, an individual allegedly telephoned Dallas Airport and claimed that he and two associates would enter the stadium carrying hand grenades and a rifle.
The caller reportedly threatened to attack police officers and players from both teams and specifically issued a death threat against Messi.
Another warning emerged ahead of Argentina’s match against Egypt. According to the dossier, a suspect allegedly posted a message on X saying he planned to enter Atlanta Stadium wearing explosives and kill the Argentina captain.
“I’m going to walk into the Atlanta stadium and blow up Messi with four bombs stuck to my body,” the suspect allegedly wrote on X.
The match was also affected by a separate bomb alert. Police were reportedly told that three explosive devices had been placed in rubbish bins inside the stadium stands.
The warning prompted a major security operation, with bomb disposal personnel and sniffer dogs deployed to search the venue. No explosives were reportedly found.
Ronaldo Accommodation Targeted
Messi was not the only high-profile player mentioned in the security file.
Cristiano Ronaldo also featured in the dossier after a FIFA employee allegedly informed authorities that a suspicious person had sought details about the Portugal captain’s accommodation.
In a separate incident, a fan reportedly managed to enter Ronaldo’s hotel and tried to follow him into a lift. The individual later told police that he had only wanted to take a selfie with the footballer.
The episode nevertheless raised concerns about the security arrangements surrounding players and their hotels during the tournament.
Officials Face Online Abuse
Match officials were also subjected to a wave of threats following controversial decisions.
French referee François Letexier reportedly received more than 6,000 threatening messages on WhatsApp after officiating Argentina’s match against Egypt.
Video assistant referee Willy Delajod was also allegedly targeted with death threats, reportedly from Egyptian supporters angered by decisions made during the same fixture.
Players Targeted After Mistakes
Several players were also allegedly threatened after making decisions or missing chances that supporters blamed for their teams’ defeats.
Norway striker Alexander Sorloth and his wife reportedly received death threats after the forward chose not to pass to Erling Haaland during Norway’s quarter-final loss to England.
Colombia winger Jhon Jáminton Campaz was also targeted after missing a penalty. The threats were reportedly serious enough that he could not travel back along with the rest of the Colombian squad because of security concerns.
