Soccer Fans, You’re Being Watched
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is raising significant privacy concerns due to the deployment of advanced surveillance technologies like facial recognition and counter-drone systems. Civil liberties groups warn that these tools, justified by security needs, could be misused for aggressive immigration enforcement.
Why it matters
It highlights the tension between public safety at major global events and the potential for government overreach and erosion of civil liberties.
Illustration: Cristian Mera Save Story Save this story Save Story Save this story More than 5 million fans are expected to attend the 2026 FIFA World Cup taking place this summer across 16 venues in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The stakes are high—and not merely on the pitch.
The article focuses heavily on the concerns of civil liberties groups and frames the administration's security measures as potentially 'abusive' and 'lawless'.
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