With more than 84 per cent of professional sports organisations experiencing at least one cyber incident in the past 12 months, and more than half being struck multiple times, proactive resilience around the FIFAA World Cup 2026, world’s biggest tournament must be a top priority says Cynthia Overby, director of strategic security solutions, ZCOE at Rocket Software.

“World Cup host cities are currently welcoming millions of people, including players, officials, game sponsors, and media personnel. With many relying heavily on connected devices and public networks, the tournament is creating an unmissable opportunity for cybercriminals to exploit. Smartphones, laptops, and other internet-enabled devices are particularly vulnerable to attacks, especially when users connect to unsecured Wi-Fi networks. Cybercriminals are also reportedly launching large-scale phishing campaigns via fake ticket offers, counterfeit merchandise websites and impersonated communications to trick fans into revealing sensitive personal and financial information,” said Overby.

“The massive volume of personal and financial data being processed by travel, hospitality, and event servers creates further risk, as it creates a target for data breaches. State-affiliated hackers also pose a risk to critical infrastructure, with potential malware targets including stadium Jumbotrons, municipal transit networks, and tournament ticketing systems. Even those not in attendance remain vulnerable, as cybercriminals increasingly utilise fraudulent “free stream” sites to distribute malware and hijack personal devices.”

“To secure the World Cup digitally as well as physically, organisers must implement a multi-layered defence and proactive security protocols. This begins with enforcing email authentication across all official tournament and vendor domains, as well as isolating operational technology, such as stadium lighting, HVAC, and digital signage, from corporate IT and public Wi-Fi networks. Finally, organisers must implement identity zero trust, by requiring strict multi-factor authentication and least-privilege access controls for all third-party vendors managing physical infrastructure to guard against unauthorised access during the event,” concluded Overby.

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Tags: cybercrime, fifa, World Cup