World Cup 2026: Online scammers targeting SA fans

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is just five days away. As excitement for the football tournament mounts, South African fans find themselves at risk of falling prey to scammers.

And it’s not just fans who are attending the World Cup who are being targeted – scammers are also looking to exploit supporters staying on home soil.

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FIFA WORLD CUP: A SPIKE IN CRIMINAL FRAUD

The World Cup kicks off next Thursday, 11 June 2026. Over the course of 39 days, a total of 104 matches will be played across 16 host cities in three countries. The first match will see Bafana Bafana taking on Mexico, one of the hosts.

First-time travellers will be making their way to the USA, Canada and Mexico, the latter where South Africa will start off the competition. Image: Narin Saiparsan/ Canva

According to Unit 42, a team of cybersecurity experts falling under Palo Alto Networks, this edition of the competition is set to be the largest sporting event ever staged. An estimated five-to-six million spectators are expected to be in attendance. Meanwhile, global broadcast figures are projected to encompass “half the planet.”

As such, criminal fraud – particularly in the form of cyber scams – has emerged as a very serious threat.

FRAUDSTERS BANKING ON PHISHING, FAKE TICKET SCAMS AND MORE

Among the types of fraud that Unit 42 asks fans to be aware of are phishing, fake and/or resold tickets and fraud related to QR codes, transportation and parking.

Phishing will see con artists sending you what appears to be authentic messages – typically via email – regarding ticket cancellations, offers about free match streaming or merchandise, fake prize or Lottery winnings and accreditation issues.

In reality, these messages are designed to trick you into sharing your information, such as your baking app login details. Alternatively, they are used to install malware on your device.

Phishing is one way for scammers to take advantage of victims. Image: Chainarong Prasertthai/ Canva

South Africans travelling to the World Cup for the first time are susceptible to this scheme. Similarly, fans at home wanting what looks like authentic merch or participating in glamorous prize giveaways are also under threat.

For fans looking for tickets at the last minute and at a cheaper price, fraudsters will create lookalike resale sites or social media accounts. Hit by a combination of too-good-to-be-true prices and pressure, fans find themselves forking out cash for invalid or non-existent tickets.

Likewise, fans moving between host cities could end up with empty pockets after shelling out on fraudulent shuttle passes, parking permits and official fan transport QR codes that fail when scanned.

STAY AHEAD OF SCAMMERS

With the World Cup fast approaching, Unit 42 has outlined the following safety tips to keep in mind:

• Buy tickets only on the official FIFA platform or a FIFA-authorised resale partner. Do not buy these through Telegram, WhatsApp, social media DMs or peer-to-peer payment apps. Use a credit card with chargeback protection.
• Verify accommodation listings with major platforms, such as by cross-referencing street view and listing photos.
• Treat off-platform wire transfers and cryptocurrency requests as fraud.
• Be wary of any QR code presented in transit, parking or fan-zone contexts. Cross-check with the host city’s official transportation app or website before scanning.
• If you’re going to use public Wi-Fi, use a reputable VPN for any account-level activity. Disable Wi-Fi auto-join, then remove networks after use.
• Verify every FIFA app against the FIFA-published list of official applications.

The World Cup is meant to be a joyous occasion. Unfortunately, it’s also a reminder that there are people out there who are willing to exploit unsuspecting fans for monetary gain.

So, stay vigilant out there, folks, because scammers aren’t playing around.

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