Revealed: FBI Foiled Two Assassination Plots Against Messi at 2026 World Cup

Lionel Messi

Revealed: FBI Foiled Two Assassination Plots Against Messi at 2026 World Cup

Security archives reveal two advanced terror threats targeting the Argentine captain, a stalker hunting Lionel Messi, and a referee bombarded with 6,000 hate messages—all during the world’s biggest football tournament.

Behind the roar of the crowd and the drama of penalty shootouts at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a shadow operation was unfolding. Hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the tournament became a battleground not just for football glory, but for the safety of its biggest star: Lionel Messi. Leaked police documents, first reported by Spanish newspaper MARCA, have exposed a chilling series of assassination plots that targeted the Argentine legend. According to the dossier, Messi received more security threats than any other player—including two specific, time-sensitive alerts that prompted full-scale military-grade sweeps of major stadiums. Here is the complete, detailed breakdown of the plots, the security response, and the other high-profile targets caught in the crosshairs.

The most alarming threat emerged just hours before Argentina’s Round of 16 clash against Egypt in Atlanta. Investigators monitoring extremist social media channels flagged a post from a suspect who declared: “I’m going to blow up Messi with four bombs strapped to my body.” The message was not dismissed as idle chatter. With the match imminent, FBI counter-terrorism units and local law enforcement activated an emergency protocol. Simultaneously, a second anonymous caller contacted police, claiming that three additional explosives had been hidden inside rubbish bins scattered throughout the stadium concourse. In response, sniffer dogs and bomb disposal experts conducted a floor-by-floor search of the 71,000-seat venue, while facial recognition software was deployed at all entry points to identify the suspect and undercover officers were positioned within the crowd, ready to intercept any movement toward the pitch. After a two-hour lockdown and exhaustive sweep, officials confirmed the alert to be a false alarm. No devices were found, and play resumed without public panic. However, sources confirm that the suspect’s social media account was traced to a foreign IP address, and the investigation remains open.

Days earlier, ahead of Argentina’s group-stage fixture against Jordan at Dallas Stadium, authorities received a disturbing phone call. A man rang Dallas Airport security to announce that he and two accomplices were en route to the ground, armed with a homemade fragmentation bomb and an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. The caller named Messi as their primary target, but also threatened to open fire on police officers and players from both teams. Aviation units were placed on standby to track vehicle movements toward the stadium, counter-sniper teams were positioned on rooftops overlooking the entrances, and all luggage and bags entering the stadium underwent secondary X-ray screening. The call was traced to a burner phone, and the suspects never materialised. The match went ahead with heightened security, but the incident was logged as a credible threat that required the highest level of response.

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According to the leaked dossier, the Atlanta plot had one additional layer of sophistication. The suspect who posted the “four bombs” message had previously scouted the stadium’s layout using publicly available floor plans. Investigators believe he intended to access a hospitality suite overlooking the pitch—a vantage point that would have given him a clear line of sight to Messi during set-pieces and celebrations. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force worked with Mexican and Canadian intelligence agencies to cross-reference the suspect’s digital footprint. While no arrest has been publicly announced, the operation demonstrated unprecedented cross-border co-ordination among the three host nations.

Messi was not the only global icon in the crosshairs. The dossier reveals that Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo faced multiple security breaches during the tournament. In one incident, a FIFA employee reported a “suspicious man” lingering near the team’s hotel, asking staff about Ronaldo’s room number and daily schedule. Houston police identified and detained the individual, who was found to have no legitimate reason for being on the premises. In a separate episode in Toronto, a man was arrested after forcing his way into a hotel lift with Ronaldo and his security detail. The intruder claimed he only wanted a selfie, but security protocols classified it as a potential kidnapping or assault attempt. The man was charged with trespassing and harassment, and later released on bail with a restraining order.

The threat landscape extended beyond players. French referee François Letexier, who officiated the Argentina–Egypt match, became the target of online abuse on an industrial scale. Within 24 hours of the final whistle, Letexier received over 6,000 hate messages on WhatsApp—many containing death threats and explicit images. The VAR official for the same match faced similar harassment, with abusive callers targeting his personal mobile number. French police and FIFA security increased armed protection for both officials and their families in France. This incident has reignited the debate about online abuse in football, with calls for social media platforms to verify user identities before allowing direct messaging to match officials.

The scale of the operation was unprecedented for a sporting event. The FBI, working alongside Interpol and host-nation police forces, established a dedicated counter-terrorism command centre that operated 24/7 throughout the tournament. Key measures included real-time intelligence sharing between US, Mexican, and Canadian agencies through the International Police Cooperation Center; monitoring of extremist forums, dark web channels, and social media platforms for threat indicators; deployment of undercover officers, counter-sniper units, and bomb disposal teams at every stadium where high-profile players were scheduled to appear; and enhanced personal security details for Messi, Ronaldo, and other designated “tier one” athletes, including armoured vehicle escorts. Investigators noted that the 2026 World Cup was the first to be hosted across three nations, creating jurisdictional gaps that could be exploited by bad actors. The FBI’s lead counter-terrorism agent reportedly briefed FIFA executives on multiple occasions, warning that the tournament’s high profile made it a “prime target” for both lone-wolf attackers and organised extremist groups.

The leaked documents paint a sobering picture of the modern sporting mega-event. With global audiences in the billions and players treated as national symbols, the security apparatus required to protect them now rivals that of state visits and G7 summits. Key takeaways from the report include the reality that Messi’s status as the world’s most recognisable athlete makes him a perennial target—not just for fans, but for those seeking notoriety; that social media platforms are increasingly being used by would-be attackers to announce intent, providing both a warning and a tracking opportunity for intelligence agencies; and that cross-border co-ordination is essential, but it requires trust and real-time communication that can be difficult to maintain under match-day pressure.

FIFA has not publicly commented on the specific incidents, but a spokesperson reiterated the organisation’s commitment to player and fan safety at all events. The FBI declined to confirm or deny the details of the leaked dossier, citing ongoing investigations. However, a senior official speaking on condition of anonymity stated: “The threats we neutralised during the World Cup were real, complex, and required the full weight of our international partnerships. The public should be reassured that every credible lead was pursued, and no match was ever allowed to proceed without a comprehensive security review.”

In the months following the tournament, security experts have called for permanent reforms to how mega-events are protected. Proposals include pre-tournament threat assessments for all “tier one” players, including psychiatric evaluations of known online aggressors; mandatory social media vetting for individuals who purchase tickets to high-profile matches; and increased funding for intelligence-sharing between host nations, particularly when events span multiple jurisdictions. For Messi and Ronaldo, the tournament ended without incident—but the leaked dossier confirms that the threat was never imaginary. It was a dry run for a darker possibility, and one that security forces are already planning for at future tournaments, including the 2030 World Cup in Europe.