FIFA World Cup 2026

Score big on safety: Canada, Mexico, and US travel tips.

As we look ahead to the 2026 FIFA World Cup being held from 11 June to 19 July, the global sporting landscape is entering a new era of scale and complexity. Spanning Canada, Mexico, and the United States, the tournament will be the largest sporting event ever staged, bringing unprecedented movement of people across diverse regions and infrastructures.
Beyond the matches themselves, travellers will face a wide range of considerations, from security and transportation to weather variability and local regulations. Each host nation presents its own unique logistical and risk environment, requiring careful preparation and informed decision-making.

Attendees are increasingly seeking seamless, well-supported travel experiences, while authorities must respond to evolving challenges with coordinated strategies. From crime prevention to contingency planning, a proactive approach is essential.

Those best prepared for the tournament will combine real-time information, expert insight and heightened situational awareness. Understanding these overlapping dynamics will be key to ensuring a safe, efficient and enjoyable World Cup experience across North America. Our experts at Riskline have carefully assessed these factors to support a smooth and well-prepared travel experience.

Editor: Diego Maloney

Senior Analyst at Riskline

Beyond the matches themselves, travellers will face a wide range of considerations, from security and transportation to weather variability and local regulations. Each host nation presents its own unique logistical and risk environment, requiring careful preparation and informed decision-making.

Attendees are increasingly seeking seamless, well-supported travel experiences, while authorities must respond to evolving challenges with coordinated strategies. From crime prevention to contingency planning, a proactive approach is essential.

Those best prepared for the tournament will combine real-time information, expert insight and heightened situational awareness. Understanding these overlapping dynamics will be key to ensuring a safe, efficient and enjoyable World Cup experience across North America. Our experts at Riskline have carefully assessed these factors to support a smooth and well-prepared travel experience.
The 2026 World Cup will be held across multiple countries, with the United States, Canada, and Mexico participating as co-hosts. This gargantuan effort and expanded format will make it the largest sporting event to ever take place. With this comes a number of logistical challenges for attendees.
The primary security risks across the hosting countries include three key areas: crime/terrorism, protests, and natural/health threats. Mexico is identified as the highest-risk country for crime. It faces organised criminal activity, including extortion and kidnapping. However, main tourist areas will have heightened security measures and are generally safer. The US remains at higher risk of a terrorist attack due to its global counterterrorism role, while opportunistic crimes like pickpocketing vary by city and neighbourhood. Canada presents the lowest crime-related risk.
The primary safety issues to consider during the World Cup events are crowd safety, and crimes targeting female and LGBTQ travellers. Instances of clashes and unrest between rival football fans can occur ahead of and following sporting events. There is also a greater risk of stampedes during matches in urban areas, which draw large crowds, and visitors should plan to mitigate these risks.

Editors:

Diego Maloney, Senior Analyst at Riskline

Paul Mutter, Global Coverage Manager

Contributors:

Aidana Arynbek, Avantika Deb, Bumjoon Park, Claudia Gualdi, Eeva Ruuska, Farhan Rafi, Jesús Aguilar, Lorenzo Trevisan, Lorena Peña, Marco Túlio Lara, Nikita Billier, Ramya DilipKumar, Roxana Dumitrescu, Ryan Rogers

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