Scammers aim to catch you off-guard using pressure tactics or ‘limited time’ offers that make you rush. The 2026 World Cup in North America and other global events are prime examples, because scammers can play on demand for tickets. The security awareness training platform Knowbe4 has pointed to the risks ahead of next month’s tournament.
1. Paperless Truth: Ticketing Scams
For 2026, FIFA has transitioned almost entirely to digital ticketing via the official app.
- The Trap: You see a great deal on social media or a secondary marketplace for a PDF or printed ticket.
- The Reality: Printed tickets do not exist for this tournament. Official tickets are online only and at the 2022 World Cup they used dynamic QR codes that refresh every few seconds to prevent screenshots.
- The Play: Only buy tickets through the Official FIFA Ticketing Portal. If a seller asks to email you a PDF, it’s a scam.
2. World Cup Visa Myth
Navigating three different countries is tricky, and scammers are preying on that confusion.
- The Trap: Websites like ‘WC2026 Visa’ claim to offer a special World Cup visa for a fee (often around $270).
- The Reality: The US Department of State has stated this directly: there is no special tournament visa. Foreign visitors traveling to the United States, Canada or Mexico are subject to the same visa requirements any tourist would be.
- The Play: Stick to the official government sites for entry requirements.
3. Lookalike Booking Sites
With hotels in host cities reaching capacity, cloned booking websites are popping up to offer accommodation and steal your deposit.
- The Trap: You find a room on a site that looks exactly like Expedia or Airbnb, but the URL is slightly off (e.g. expedia-worldcup-deals.com).
- The Reality: These sites are designed to harvest your credit card info.
- The Play: Look for the lock icon in the address bar and double-check the spelling. If they ask you to pay via Zelle, wire transfer, or Cryptocurrency, walk away as legitimate platforms won’t do that.
4. The ‘You Won!’ Phishing Scam
As we get closer to the opening match, your inbox is going to get crowded.
- The Trap: You receive an email or DM claiming you’ve won tickets, a free trip or a VIP hospitality package.
- The Reality: Attackers want you to click a link to verify your identity so they steal your login or ask for your personal information.
- The Play: If you didn’t enter a contest directly through an official sponsor, you didn’t win. Never click links in unsolicited emails.
Javvad Malik, lead CISO advisor at KnowBe4, says: “Protecting your personal data starts with using secure, private connections and official applications. By refusing to engage with unsolicited offers and unverified third-party vendors, you remove the primary leverage cybercriminals use to exploit travellers.”
