World Cup propels surveillance to new heights

Massive Surveillance: The 2026 FIFA World Cup features unprecedented levels of surveillance involving advanced technologies like facial recognition, drones, CCTV systems, and AI in both host cities and transit hubs.
Government Investment: Over $1 billion supplied by the U.S. government has been dedicated to World Cup security measures, significantly boosting security capabilities and fueling growth in the private surveillance sector.
Privacy Risks: The extensive surveillance raises privacy concerns as the collected biometric data may be retained for future unknown uses with little regulation, blurring the line between legitimate security measures and civil liberties infringement.
Travel Advisories: Civil society groups have issued travel advisories warning of potential invasive screenings and profiling risks for visitors traveling to the U.S. for the World Cup, emphasizing human rights breaches.
Tech Expansion: Many states are leveraging World Cup security funding to enhance their law enforcement surveillance tools, further embedding AI-powered, autonomous drones and CCTV systems into everyday policing.
Data Privacy and Governance: There is a lack of comprehensive oversight on how post-World Cup surveillance technologies and partnerships will be managed, raising concerns about data misuse and transparency regarding these federally funded efforts.