Classified security documents leaked recently exposed a disturbing reality behind the scenes of the 2026 World Cup in the United States. According to a report in Spain based on materials from the FBI’s joint investigation file, American law enforcement authorities foiled several credible terror plots targeting prominent players, chief among them Argentina captain Lionel Messi.
One of the most serious incidents occurred ahead of the match between Argentina and Jordan in Dallas. According to the reports, a dramatic warning call was received at the local airport, in which an anonymous caller claimed he and two accomplices were making their way to the stadium. The caller threatened that the cell was armed with improvised explosive devices and AR-15 assault rifles, and declared a clear intention to attack police forces and players from both national teams, specifically naming Lionel Messi as the primary target of the attack.
Another significant threat was recorded in Atlanta, surrounding Argentina’s match against Egypt. In that incident, a user on X posted an explicit threat claiming he would infiltrate the stadium as a suicide bomber and detonate four explosive devices strapped to his body with the goal of assassinating the star. Alongside the online threat, an anonymous call was received by police reporting three devices planted in trash cans throughout the stadium, leading to the deployment of reinforced security forces and canine units that conducted extensive sweeps of the complex to eliminate the danger.
The complex security apparatus was forced to deal simultaneously with threats against other key figures in the tournament. The documents reveal that Cristiano Ronaldo was also subject to credible threats, which led to the arrest of a suspect on June 16 at the hotel where the Portuguese national team was staying in Houston. The wave of threats didn’t spare the officiating crews either, as French referee François Letexier suffered an unprecedented attack and received more than 6,000 death threats on his personal WhatsApp account during the tournament.