Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi was reportedly targeted in several bomb threats during the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
According to Spanish newspaper MARCA, a police report uncovered alleged plots to attack Messi during matches, with suspects reportedly threatening to detonate explosives and storm stadiums where the Argentina captain was playing.
The report said Messi received more threats than any other player at the tournament, including an alleged bomb threat shortly before Argentina’s Round of 16 match against Egypt.
One suspect reportedly posted a threat on social media, prompting security agencies to carry out a thorough search of the stadium in Atlanta.
Sniffer dogs were deployed after investigators received separate reports that explosives had allegedly been hidden in bins around the venue. However, the search reportedly found nothing, and authorities later confirmed that the alert was false.
Another threat allegedly emerged ahead of Argentina’s group-stage match against Jordan.
According to MARCA, a man called Dallas airport and claimed that he and two accomplices were heading to the stadium with homemade bombs and an AR-15 rifle. Messi was reportedly identified as their intended target.
Portuguese football star Cristiano Ronaldo was also reportedly targeted by threats during the tournament. Several individuals were allegedly arrested over separate threats against him.
Security agencies, including the FBI, reportedly worked with international law-enforcement partners throughout the tournament to monitor and neutralise threats against high-profile players.
