World Cup security planners prepare for 'unprecedented' challenge - ESPN

This summer's World Cup will pose an unprecedented security challenge due to its size and scope, but the nation's law enforcement is «leaning in,» Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House FIFA World Cup 2026 Task Force, told ESPN in an interview.

«This entire country's police force is leaning in,» he said. «It is an unbelievable problem set when I think about what local law enforcement is going to have to go over this 40-day stretch. It is unprecedented.

»We're going to do everything in our power to make sure that nothing goes wrong."

Officials said more than 400 law enforcement agencies are working with the federal government and private security firms to secure the stadiums, fan festivals, base camps and hotels for the record 48 teams who will play 78 matches over 39 days in 11 U.S. cities, with another 26 matches in Canada and Mexico. By contrast, the last World Cup in Qatar saw 32 teams play across a country smaller than Connecticut.

Because the tournament is so sprawling, the federal government does not have the resources to take over as it would for a presidential inauguration or even the Olympics, according to Giuliani. Instead, it is working with local and state law enforcement to coordinate security, including sharing information across the various cities, he said.

«We want to make sure that… they have coordination necessary to be able to see trends that may be hopping up in Miami that may end up affecting New York or may end up affecting Houston,» he said.

Giuliani said that he and other security planners had been «planning with one hand tied behind our back» due to the partial government shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security earlier this year.

«We've seen some gaps, but we've been able