ISIS fanatics have issued a chilling World Cup terror threat, urging extremists to “attack their stadiums” and target Pope Leo XIV. The warning comes just days before the tournament kicks off, with a graphic image depicting the pontiff holding a FIFA World Cup ball.
Threat Details
Disturbing text beneath the pope highlights Leo XIV’s planned visit to the Canary Islands on June 11, the same day the football tournament begins in Mexico. A direct threat reads: “Soon o infidel” and “O Mujahid, attack their stadiums and target the Pope.”
The outlet also claimed that the Spanish government has “recreated Camp Bucca,” which it says will “ignite an explosion of rage,” citing security and “logistical frailty” in Spain as a “message to the perceptive.”
Bizarrely, the publication also released the first English-language issue of al-Uqab, calling for additional members with skills in design, content creation, and translation.
Context and Security Measures
The threats follow the successful killing of ISIS commander Abu-Bilal al-Minuki in Nigeria, ordered by former President Donald Trump. This year’s World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, is set to become the most fortified in history.
England’s Three Lions camp will be shielded by three rings of security at their US base in Prairie Village, Kansas. A no-fly zone will be enforced to thwart drone attacks, and a command center will be established opposite the 54-room, £260-a-night The Inn at Meadowbrook Hotel. Armed police, security officers, and private guards will patrol the perimeter, with additional screens to prevent neighbors from overlooking the squad.
Meadowbrook Estate bosses outlined a “three-tiered security plan for the Inn,” stating: “FIFA and the US Department of Homeland Security will secure the perimeter of The Inn, with the Prairie Village Police Department having an enhanced presence at the park. There is internal security. There will be a visible presence … to protect both the visiting group and our neighbourhood from outside disruptions.”
Security will be tighter than ever amid concerns over high gun crime in Kansas and potential terror threats. Police will escort England’s team coach between the hotel and training ground at nearby Swope Soccer Village, shielded from onlookers and drones.
A Three Lions insider said: “The safety and security of players, staff and their families is the number one priority but precautions in the US have been stepped up further. Players will be surrounded by a moving cordon wherever they go. The team’s hotel will become a virtual fortress.”
Partners, families, and friends will be given passes to access the protective cordon when the squad moves to Kansas on June 13. The FA’s own security will also be on alert after a recent spying scandal involving Southampton.
Broader Security Context
Some national teams have used spies at big tournaments, and vigilance will be high at key areas in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Up to 20 England players flew out from Birmingham yesterday on a private charter to West Palm Beach, Florida, for a pre-tournament training camp. They will follow a regime to ward off jet-lag and wear compression clothing to boost circulation.
Hundreds of extra police have been drafted in, and a no-fly zone will be in place. Police in the ten US cities hosting World Cup games will use anti-drone guns to jam or take control of hostile flying threats. Hexacopter drones would net incoming devices and carry them away for safe disposal. Military chiefs in Mexico and Canada will use handheld anti-drone jamming guns and fixed electronic warfare systems.
