ISIS has told its extremist supporters to cause havoc during the 2026 FIFA World Cup – it even said football players should be killed – as host cities ramped up security
ISIS has issued a threat to football fans urging its supporters to set stadiums on fire and cause a stampede as people from across the globe travel to North America for the World Cup.
Supporters of the group were told a sickening message: “O mujahid, have a full month to monitor gatherings and launch attacks, for the unbridled hordes of infidels throng the streets and stands teem with them.”
Followers of the terror group were then urged to imagine the chaos an attack could cause inside a packed stadium, The Sun reports.
“Imagine that you have succeeded in starting a fire in the stands to cause a massive stampede that will kill hundreds of people from the nation of the Trinity and atheism? It is an idea worth implementing.”
ISIS demanded the destruction of civilisation due to the sins it claims the World Cup is promoting, including “beastiality and depravity.”
The group went on to brand the players from each squad the offspring of “Crusaders” intent on destroying Islam. It likened them to livestock and claimed sport has “led them astray”.
The terror group even called for the death of the players, the Daily Express reports.
“The victory lies with those who seize this opportunity, within the well-known legal parameters of Islamic jurisprudence, to admiring and becoming attached to the ‘player,’ and engaging in jihad by intensifying campaigns to cripple America and wound the hearts of its citizens,” the message continued.
“This is an open invitation to all mujahideen, those who are determined, those who hope for chivalry, archery, and combat, who rejoice in his way and are named after him.
“This is your way, so don’t let the opportunity pass you by. Train them to follow their example, for idleness and joy are not among them.”
The tournament – shared between hosts Mexico, Canada and the US – is on track to be the most watched World Cup in history.
Serious security concerns have gripped host cities across the three nations, with authorities bolstering defences against drone threats while broadly tightening security measures across their wider metropolitan areas.
In Guadalajara, Mexico, heavily armed police officers and National Guard personnel have been deployed to patrol the streets.
In the US, a host of federal agencies, state and local police forces and even private organisations are working round the clock to keep cities safe.
Some have been assigned to securing stadiums and fan zones, while others are tasked with escorting teams and safeguarding dignitaries travelling alongside them.
Some security teams possess hunter drones capable of firing nets over objects in prohibited airspace.
They also have bag-scanning robot dogs, enormous X-ray lorries and thousands of AI-powered cameras monitoring public areas where supporters are anticipated to congregate.
