Why the U.S. Is Unprepared for a Potential Public Health Outbreak at the World Cup
An infectious disease expert argues that the U.S. government has failed to allocate public health funding for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite its status as a massive global gathering. The author highlights historical precedents of disease outbreaks at large sporting events to emphasize the need for better preparation.
Why it matters
The lack of public health infrastructure for major international events poses a significant risk to both attendees and the host nation.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the largest mass gathering event in U.S. history. More than five million tickets have been sold across three countries and 16 cities over 39 days, dwarfing the 3.4 million total attendance at the 2022 World Cup. President Trump championed the hosting bid, created a White House task force for the World Cup that he chairs and accepted FIFA’s inaugural “Peace Prize” at the draw in December. Yet the federal government allocated $625 million for World Cup law enforcement and security, and zero for public health.
The article uses a critical tone regarding government spending priorities and specifically mentions the political administration's focus.
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