The highest security exposure will likely exist outside official stadium venues and within surrounding soft-target environments, including transportation hubs, entertainment districts, hotels, “FanZones”, and public viewing areas.

Iran-related matches currently present some of the highest potential for politically motivated demonstrations, counterprotests, and heightened security attention.

The distributed nature of the tournament across multiple jurisdictions will likely create coordination and resource challenges for law enforcement, emergency management agencies, transportation authorities, and private security providers.

Protest activity is anticipated throughout the tournament, particularly in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York City, driven by immigration enforcement policies, anti-Trump sentiment, anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian activism, and broader geopolitical developments involving Iran and the Middle East. Large-scale demonstrations, counterprotests, and other politically motivated gatherings may occur near stadiums, airports, transit hubs, hotels, “FanZones”, and public viewing areas.

The extremist threat environment will remain elevated, primarily from self-radicalized lone actors inspired by pro-Iranian, jihadist, far-left, far-right, or other domestic extremist ideologies.

Cyberattack risks during the FIFA World Cup will remain elevated from criminal, hacktivist, and state-linked actors, particularly Iran-affiliated groups, targeting ticketing systems, transportation networks, hospitality services, and critical infrastructure.