Did a suicide bomb plot target Messi and Ronaldo at 2026 World Cup?

A leaked police dossier has revealed the extent of the security threats that surrounded the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including alleged terror plots and death threats targeting some of the tournament’s biggest stars and match officials.

The United States co-hosted the tournament alongside Mexico and Canada, with Spain lifting the trophy after defeating Argentina 1-0 in the final.

According to a report by The Sun, citing Spanish outlet Informacion.es, Argentina captain Lionel Messi was at the centre of several serious threats. Ahead of Argentina’s group-stage match against Jordan, a man allegedly called Dallas Airport and threatened to storm the stadium with two accomplices armed with hand grenades and a rifle. He vowed to attack police officers and players from both teams, while also issuing a death threat against Messi.

A similar incident occurred before Argentina’s match against Egypt. One suspect allegedly posted on X that he intended to enter Atlanta Stadium wearing explosives in an attempt to kill Messi.

“I’m going to walk into the Atlanta stadium and blow up Messi with four bombs stuck to my body,” the suspect allegedly wrote on X.

During the same match, police received another warning claiming three bombs had been planted inside rubbish bins in the stadium stands. The alert triggered an extensive search involving bomb disposal experts and sniffer dogs, but no explosives were reported to have been found.

Cristiano Ronaldo was also the subject of security concerns. According to the leaked file, a FIFA employee reported that a suspicious individual had asked for information about the Portuguese superstar’s accommodation. In a separate incident, a fan allegedly entered Ronaldo’s hotel and attempted to join him in the lift before telling police he had only wanted to take a selfie.

Match officials also faced abuse. French referee François Letexier reportedly received more than 6,000 threatening WhatsApp messages following his decisions during the Argentina-Egypt match, while video assistant referee Willy Delajod was subjected to death threats from angry Egyptian supporters.

Players who missed crucial opportunities were also targeted. Norway striker Alexander Sorloth and his wife reportedly received death threats after he opted not to pass to Erling Haaland during the quarter-final defeat to England. Colombia winger Jhon Jáminton Campaz also faced death threats after missing a penalty and was reportedly unable to travel back with the national team because of security concerns.