World Cup Scams Are Getting Harder to Spot
Key takeaways
- A suspicious email address, broken English, or an obvious typo were often enough to raise suspicion.
- With the United States, Canada, and Mexico cohosting 104 matches across 16 cities, the largest World Cup in history has created an unprecedented opportunity for cybercriminals.
- More than 13,000 FIFA-themed domains were registered between January and May 2026.
Why this matters: a development in AI with implications for how people work, create, and decide.
Photo-Illustration: WIRED MIDDLE EAST STAFF; GETTY IMAGES.Comment Loader Save Story Save this story Comment Loader Save Story Save this story You got a World Cup ticket. It arrived in your inbox with a QR code, professional branding, and a confirmation email that looked like the real thing. Unfortunately, it wasn’t.
For years, spotting a scam was relatively simple. A suspicious email address, broken English, or an obvious typo were often enough to raise suspicion. But at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, those old warning signs are disappearing. AI-generated websites, deepfake videos, fabricated audio, and convincing phishing campaigns are making it easier than ever for criminals to impersonate legitimate organizations.
With the United States, Canada, and Mexico cohosting 104 matches across 16 cities, the largest World Cup in history has created an unprecedented opportunity for cybercriminals.