FIFA websites tampered with by hackers ahead of 2026 World Cup, FBI warns

The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center has warned of at least 35 fake FIFA websites designed to steal fans’ personal and financial data.
Fraudsters imitate legitimate domains with subtle spelling or TLD changes
Officials advise entering FIFA URL directly or avoiding sponsored search results

Hackers impersonating FIFA got so bad that the FBI had to respond and issue a public alert warning people to be careful.

Earlier this week, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint (ICC) issued a new alert, warning of a surge in fake FIFA websites seeking to steal sensitive information and even money.

Cybercriminals and fraudsters have always exploited news for their attacks. The Olympics, the Covid outbreak, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and other global events have been used as themes for phishing attacks, and fake websites have sprung up, distributing malware under the guise of “vaccine information” or cheap tickets.

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The World Cup is no different. Just eight years ago, TechRadar was reporting on ticket scams hitting fans around the world, and in 2022, fake World Cup streaming sites are targeting virtual fans.

This time around, the FBI claims to have identified at least 35 fake websites that, at first glance, appear identical to the real thing, with the brand, product listing and all other important details carefully placed.

“Bad actors often create spoofed websites by slightly modifying the characteristics of legitimate website domains, with the aim of collecting personally identifiable information (PII) entered by a user on the site, including their name, home address, phone number, email address, and banking information,” the FBI said.

“For example, spoofed website domains may feature different spellings of words or use an alternate top-level domain to impersonate a legitimate website. Members of the public could unknowingly visit spoofed websites while attempting to access the FIFA website.”

The FBI recommends that users go to the FIFA website by entering the address directly. Those using the search engine should avoid sponsored results, as “these may be paid impersonators seeking to deter traffic”, and should ensure they are visiting a site on the .com domain. Bookmarking verified websites is also a good idea.