Bomb threats shadowed World Cup 2026: England bus scare, plots targeting Messi and threats involving Trump

A leaked security dossier has revealed a string of bomb and violent-threat incidents linked to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including an alarm raised on the England team bus before the semi-final against Argentina and separate plots targeting high-profile figures and players.

The documents say the bus scare took place shortly before Harry Kane and his teammates lost 2-1 to Argentina in Atlanta on 15 July. Canine explosives screening initially flagged a section of the vehicle as positive, triggering an immediate response, but investigators later concluded the alert was a false alarm caused by a mechanical fault related to an oil leak.

One passage in the report summarizes the episode: "The most disturbing incident occurred when someone claimed there was a bomb on the bus that was transporting the England national team to the semi-final against Argentina. A dog (K-9) marked part of the bus as positive for explosives. Another trained animal later corrected the alarm. According to reports, it turned out to be a false alarm caused by a mechanical fault related to an oil leak."

Multiple threats across venues and online

Other entries in the files describe a range of threats that forced security services to react. Lionel Messi was allegedly the target of a suicide attacker who swore to detonate an explosive vest aimed at the Argentine star during a match, according to police records. A separate caller to Dallas airport — shortly before Argentina’s group game with Jordan — said he and two accomplices were heading to the city stadium with "homemade bombs and an AR-15," prompting large-scale searches by bomb squads and explosive-detection dogs.

The dossier also records an incident involving Cristiano Ronaldo: a suspicious individual reportedly asked for details about the Portuguese forward’s accommodation during the tournament. In addition, a social-media user threatened the home of FIFA President Gianni Infantino over the controversial hydration breaks used during matches; the FBI is said to have been notified, though the documents do not make clear what countermeasures were taken.

American authorities are also linked to threats against former US President Donald Trump. On 22 June an AI-generated video circulated showing a Trump lookalike in an Israeli shirt taking part in a match against Lebanon, with drones dropping explosives on the players and the double being killed on screen; the clip closed with footage of a young man wearing a Palestinian scarf.

The leaked material provides new detail about the security challenges that the FBI and a multi-agency command centre faced while coordinating law-enforcement activity during the World Cup. The files depict an event in which routine policing was repeatedly tested by hoaxes, online provocation and real-world threats that required rapid, high-resource responses.

Photo: FIFA World Cup 2026