Security concerns are growing over the country’s role as co-host of the 2026 FIFA World Cup following the high-profile mass shooting that targeted US President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.
U.S. authorities said Sunday that the gunman suspected of attempting to attack the dinner party was targeting Mr. Trump and members of his administration.
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A suspect armed with a shotgun, handgun, and multiple knives stormed a U.S. Secret Service checkpoint at the Washington Hilton Hotel and managed to shoot and kill law enforcement officers, but the suspect himself was not shot.
The incident is considered a major security breach for soccer fans around the world, with millions of fans following their teams in the World Cup tournament. The United States will co-host the event with Canada and Mexico from June 11th to 19th.
Here’s what fans and experts are saying about this incident and how it could affect safety at the World Cup.
Will President Trump’s shooting affect World Cup security?
With the majority of games (78 of 104) being held in the United States, an expected influx of 5 million to 10 million soccer fans from around the world is expected, many of whom have expressed concerns for their safety as well as their own in the wake of Trump’s targeting.
“Their (U.S.) own security service let one person with a shotgun enter the most secure building in the world, but all shots at him missed. How will the players be safe?” a fan wrote in a social media post.
Some wondered how fans and other members of the public would be able to stay safe during the tournament if the president came under attack.
This is not the first time President Trump has been involved in an assassination attempt. He was wounded in a shooting at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania in July 2024, and was convicted in September 2025 of plotting to kill Trump while he was playing golf in Florida a year earlier.
But security analyst Massimiliano Montanari believes the mass shooting in the US capital will have an impact. There is “no impact” on security preparations for the World Cup.
“There is no denying that this shooting has raised additional concerns, but regardless of this shooting or not, the U.S. Secret Service is keeping the president at the highest level of attention,” Montanari told Al Jazeera.
“The world is under immense pressure. There is some international turmoil going on right now, but the shooting will not change the perception of fans coming to the United States,” he added.
“The United States has very strong security and counterterrorism experience. We are confident that we have all the necessary measures in place.”
FIFA did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment on World Cup security in the wake of the mass shooting in Washington.
How will Trump’s presence affect World Cup safety and fan experience?
Fans, who criticize the United States and its lax gun laws, which lead to hundreds of mass shootings across the country each year, say the breach highlights America’s failure to control gun violence.
Comments on social media ranged from fans questioning the United States as host to calling for matches to be canceled entirely in the country due to security risks.
Mass shootings occur frequently in the United States. According to the nonprofit research group Gun Violence Archive, there will be more than 126 incidents in the country in 2026, resulting in more than 3,100 deaths and 5,300 injuries.
Some critics wonder if President Trump’s likely attendance at World Cup matches will put fans at risk and negatively impact the tournament experience.
“I think Donald Trump will one day attend the World Cup as president of the host nation,” social media user Kate Wilton said in a post on X. “If he is an assassination risk, surely his presence poses a security risk to everyone in attendance?”
US President Trump has a close relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, and even attended the World Cup draw on December 5, 2025.
Later that month, President Trump attended the U.S. Open men’s tennis final, and the start of the match was delayed as a large number of tennis fans had difficulty getting through security.
What does ICE’s presence at the World Cup mean for fans?
The White House shooting also sparked a broader debate about U.S. national security, with immigration-related crackdowns taking place in various states.
The Trump administration’s push for mass deportations and efforts to tighten legal immigration routes has heightened concerns that World Cup international spectators will be targeted by U.S. immigration authorities.
In February, Todd Lyons, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), confirmed to a House committee that the agency would be on-site for World Cup events. When asked about visitor concerns, he declined to commit to suspending ICE operations during games.
“Fans should be treated as guests and customers of the event, not as potential threats or criminals,” said Montanari, director of the International Center for Sports Security (ICSS), regarding the presence of Border Patrol agents.
He stressed that security officials on the ground must be deployed as carefully as possible.
“A major global sporting event like the World Cup must remain a sporting event, not a security event,” he explained, adding that safety, security and service elements need to work together.
Montanari stressed that fans were not discriminated against due to nationality or background at the last World Cup in Qatar, where he is currently based, and stressed that future tournaments must follow suit.
“I think the key to the success of any World Cup is the level of international and regional cooperation. Without that, no country can safely host a major sporting event.
“Securing events is more than just securing a venue, it’s about protecting the whole community, and this requires strong partnerships with government, business and civil society, and is a holistic effort that requires everyone to work together.
Last week, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Amnesty International, along with more than 120 civil society organizations, issued a “travel advisory” for foreign nationals attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, citing “the deteriorating human rights situation in the United States and the lack of meaningful action or concrete assurances from FIFA, the host city, and the United States government.”
The U.S. Senate has taken the first step toward reopening the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The Department of Homeland Security has been partially closed since mid-February after Democrats called for changes to immigration policy following the shooting deaths of two protesters by federal agents. The Senate approved a budget framework to fund immigration enforcement agencies despite Democratic opposition.
