The FIFA World Cup will be one of the largest public events ever hosted in the United States.
Over the course of the tournament, millions of people will move through airports, transportation networks, stadiums, fan zones, entertainment districts, hotels, and public gathering areas across the country. The event will bring together large crowds, global visibility, intense media coverage, and a level of public activity rarely seen outside of major national emergencies or international crises.
Federal, state, and local agencies will devote extraordinary resources to securing the tournament. We remain confident in their professionalism, capabilities, and commitment to protecting the public.
At the same time, responsible security planning requires a realistic assessment of the environment surrounding an event of this magnitude.
As former military, intelligence, law enforcement, and national security professionals, we believe the security discussion surrounding the World Cup has focused heavily on those who will enter the United States for the tournament. While that focus is appropriate and necessary, it should not overshadow another reality.
The threat environment surrounding the World Cup extends beyond visitors arriving from abroad.
It also includes criminal organizations, violent extremists, terrorists, politically motivated attackers, lone offenders, and coordinated provocateurs who may already be present within the United States and who may seek to exploit one of the most visible events in modern American history.
Lessons from the Copa América Final
This assessment is not based solely on theory.
On July 14, 2024, the Copa América Final in Miami Gardens, Florida, experienced a significant security breakdown when thousands of individuals overwhelmed perimeter controls, breached restricted areas, bypassed checkpoints, and forced entry into the venue. The resulting disorder delayed the match, created dangerous crowd conditions, and exposed vulnerabilities in perimeter security, crowd management, and coordinated response under pressure.
Most observers viewed the incident as disorderly fan behavior. However, security professionals should view it as something more.
Regardless of whether the events of that day were spontaneous or deliberate is ultimately secondary to the lessons they revealed. The incident demonstrated how quickly a determined crowd can overwhelm security systems, how rapidly confusion can spread through densely populated environments, and how difficult it can be to restore control once crowd momentum outpaces security measures.
The World Cup will operate on a scale far greater than Copa América.
More venues.
More cities.
More spectators.
More transportation nodes.
More public celebrations.
More opportunities for those seeking attention, disruption, publicity, fear, or chaos.
Project DYNAMO has conducted rescue, intelligence-support, and humanitarian operations across conflict zones, disaster areas, politically unstable regions, and high-threat environments around the world. Through those operations, we have repeatedly observed that large crowds create opportunities, and opportunities attract actors whose objectives have little to do with the event itself.
World Cup Security Risks and Areas of Concern
As part of our assessment of the evolving threat environment surrounding the World Cup, Project DYNAMO is closely monitoring:
• Stadium perimeter breaches and access-control vulnerabilities
• Crowd surges, stampedes, and panic events
• Deliberate efforts to trigger disorder and mass movement
• Terrorist threats against crowded venues and fan zones
• Politically motivated acts of violence
• Transportation hub disruptions
• Opportunistic criminal activity during celebrations
• Attacks against soft targets such as hotels, restaurants, entertainment districts, and public viewing events
• Online incitement campaigns designed to generate panic, disorder, or crowd movement
• Indicators of coordinated activity by actors already present within the United States
We are particularly concerned by the convergence of crowd density, global visibility, and the increasingly fragmented threat landscape facing the United States. While no specific threat may be known today, history demonstrates that major events often attract individuals and groups seeking to exploit opportunity, confusion, and public attention.
This letter is not intended to predict a specific attack or incident.
Rather, it is intended to encourage awareness, preparedness, and informed discussion before the tournament begins.
Recommendations for Americans
The overwhelming majority of fans attending the World Cup will come to celebrate the sport peacefully and responsibly. The tournament should be a moment of pride, unity, and international engagement.
Project DYNAMO encourages Americans and visitors alike to:
• Remain aware of their surroundings
• Identify exits and emergency routes when attending large events
• Follow official security instructions immediately
• Report suspicious activity to venue security or law enforcement
• Maintain communication plans with family and travel groups
• Avoid participating in crowd surges or forced-entry situations
• Monitor official alerts and local emergency guidance
Preparedness, vigilance, and public cooperation remain among the most effective tools for reducing risk and strengthening public safety.
Final Assessment
The World Cup will likely become one of the most secure events ever hosted in the United States.
Our objective is not to generate fear.
It is to ensure that the lessons already observed, the risks already identified, and the opportunities available to bad actors receive the attention they deserve before the opening match, not after an incident forces the discussion.
Americans should not live in fear.
They should remain informed, aware, and prepared.
PROJECT DYNAMO