The FIFA World Cup, football’s quadrennial pinnacle, kicks off on 11 June when Mexico host South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The tournament brings together 48 teams from across the globe, with matches to be played at cities in the US, Canada, and Mexico. For host cities, the event promises a local economic boon, with the US alone expecting 1.24 million fans (opens a new window) to visit over the course of the 39-day tournament.
However, staging an event of this magnitude is not without risk. North America’s fluid and volatile political landscape, combined with the symbolism and scale of the World Cup, could make the tournament a target for politically motivated violence.
Below, we assess the potential political violence risk exposures and the insurance lines available to mitigate these vulnerabilities.
Recent geopolitical shocks interacting with a febrile political atmosphere
For the US, Canada, and Mexico, an increasingly charged political atmosphere has already resulted in substantial unrest in the preceding 12 months. In November 2025, protestors marched in Mexico City (opens a new window) against President Claudia Sheinbaum’s government, while in the US, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids have resulted in frequent demonstrations, which during January 2026 turned deadly (opens a new window) in Minneapolis.
This already febrile risk landscape has been further complicated by events abroad. In late February, the US and Israel launched a joint military operation in Iran. And of the 48 nations participating in the World Cup, many are actively or passively involved in the conflict in the Middle East. As such, authorities are increasingly concerned that matches involving certain nations could be targeted by threat actors motivated by political or extremist beliefs.
A potential knockout tie between the US and Iran would give the greatest cause for concern, but matches involving the likes of Iraq or Saudi Arabia, for example, could also draw unwanted attention from politically motivated radicals. Additionally, the participation of countries experiencing persistent domestic political instability, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Haiti, has stoked fears that their games could be perceived as viable targets by their diaspora within North America.
How could potential acts of violence materialize?
The 2026 edition of the World Cup has undergone significant expansion and will be comprised of 104 matches. Each game promises to be a large event in itself, attracting significant crowds from around the globe.
On matchdays, fans will congregate at stadiums, fan zones, public transport networks, and hospitality venues – creating areas of high pedestrian density that are difficult to secure due to multiple access points and limited screening measures. Due to the ‘soft’ nature of these targets, and the global significance of the World Cup, matches may be attractive targets to ideologically, religiously, or politically motivated individuals or groups.
The terrorism threat environment is diverse and acts of political violence at large scale events can manifest in multiple ways – significantly complicating the risk landscape. While highly organized and sophisticated groups remain a constant threat, the threat of ‘independently radicalized extremism’ lone-wolf attacks has gradually become more prevalent.
Individuals could arm themselves, weaponize vehicles, or bring explosive devices to carry out indiscriminate attacks in public spaces. Beyond casualties, such incidents could cause major property damage and business disruption. Furthermore, in highly litigious jurisdictions like the US, these types of attack can result in complex, high-value liability claims.
Risk landscape by host nation
Despite the World Cup being hosted on one continent, and by three nations that border one another, the risk profiles of each state diverge significantly.
Mexico
Cartel activity is the paramount threat for matches hosted in Mexico, with limited law enforcement effectiveness elevating kidnap and ransom risks from organized criminal gangs. Of the selected venues, Guadalajara is likely to be most at threat from cartel action. An issue underlined by the widespread violence and vandalism (opens a new window) the state of Jalisco experienced after Mexican special forces captured a local cartel leader, in February 2026.US
In comparison to Mexico, US law enforcement is incredibly well resourced. However, recent years have shown that U.S. public events remain vulnerable to active assailant attacks, which authorities can respond to quickly, but often struggle to prevent beforehand. Examples of recent extremist motivated attacks include the New Orleans (opens a new window) attack in January 2025, and the firebombing (opens a new window) of demonstrators in Boulder, Colorado, in June 2025.Canada
Whilst firearm possession is substantially lower per capita (opens a new window) in Canada than the US, the threat of active assailants remains pronounced. Similarly to Europe, public events or spaces are targeted in Canada by vehicle ramming attacks. In April 2025, 11 people were killed (opens a new window) in Vancouver in one such styled attack.
Insurance lines available for risk mitigation
For World Cup matches, host city businesses may have already outlaid significant sums of money to cater for anticipated spikes in demand. It is, therefore, essential they shield themselves and their investments.
Insurance policies and products that offer businesses protection, include:
Cancellation
An act of – or even a substantial threat of – political violence could force authorities and organizers to postpone games. Event cancellation insurance is designed to offer financial protection if a game is cancelled, postponed, interrupted, curtailed, or relocated.Casualty
Large crowds for World Cup games demand casualty coverage for injury to spectators and customers. However, some insurers are now moving to introduce specific exclusions for active assailants and assault and battery incidents.Active Assailant (AA)
AA covers property damage, business interruption, and ensuing liabilities following events involving handheld weapons and vehicles. Coverage can trigger following bodily injury with malicious intent. Threat and assault and battery extensions are also available.Sabotage & Terrorism
An act of terrorism could cause significant physical damage to property and cause lengthy business disruption. Standalone definition covers religious, political, and ideological motivations.Kidnap and ransom (K&R)
K&R covers events such as Kidnap, Express Kidnap, Extortion, and Threat. Policies provide 24/7 access to specialist crisis response consultants together with indemnity for ransom payments, crisis response costs, and associated additional expenses arising from an insured event.D&O
For a high-stakes, high-publicity event like the World Cup, personal liability for a director can be catastrophic if their decisions directly lead to a major incident occurring.Cyber
As commerce, ticketing, and security at the World Cup will rely heavily on digital systems, cyber-attacks become a prime method for criminals attempting to sow disruption or steal data.Marine Cargo
As the tournament moves around North America, some businesses will need to transport equipment and machinery between cities. Marine Cargo insurance can protect against theft and damage to items in transit, and also help with potential custom issues.
Reviewing how your coverage would respond to political violence
The extensive list above demonstrates the multiple lines of coverage businesses may need. While these policies will interact with each other, they may also overlap or create gaps. It is critical your insurance program is structured to adequately respond to the various consequences of political violence.
For international events held across multiple jurisdictions, such as this edition of the World Cup, cover may be available on a global basis. However, separate standalone coverage may be necessary to mitigate certain risks at a local level.
Start the conversation
As we approach the opening match on 11 June, it is crucial businesses work toward clear contractual allocation of risk and seek specialist insurance advice to review their policies.
With decades of combined experience in Lloyd’s markets, Lockton’s unified proposition draws on expert knowledge from both our Entertainment Practice and Crisis Management Team.
Leveraging our robust relationships with specialized insurers, we provide a ‘one-stop shop’ for all forms of insurance – helping you to secure the most appropriate coverage for your risk exposure.
For further information please reach out to a member of the Entertainment Practice here (opens a new window), or a member of the Crisis Management Team here (opens a new window).
