The World Cup Is Coming. So Are the Traffickers.

Before the first match ball is ever kicked at the 2026 FIFA World Cup this June, an entirely different set of players is already moving into position. Traffickers — experienced, organized, and acutely aware of how crowds and chaos work to their advantage — are preparing for what experts believe could be an unprecedented influx of vulnerable targets across American host cities.

With an estimated 6.5 million visitors expected to pour into host cities across the United States, Canada, and Mexico between June 11 and July 19, the scope of the opportunity for criminal networks is difficult to overstate. With just weeks until kickoff, there is growing alarm that neither the sport’s global governing body nor the nation’s cities are anywhere near ready.

Here is what to know.