Cameras read faces, algorithms scrutinize, apps turn selfies into invisible keys. Under the pretext of security and convenience, the Football World Cup of surveillance transforms bodies into data and stadiums into a gigantic crystal eye.

From the Phillies to the Giants, through the Astros and the Nationals, numerous Major League stadiums implement the “Go-Ahead Entry” system.

The fan accesses an app and, with a selfie, enters a labyrinth of biometric readings, where their real face is compared in seconds with the registered code before the gate opens.

Beyond digital tickets, and under the argument of “preventive security,” rows of cameras with artificial intelligence analyze the flow of people, detect crowds and track potential conflicts.

The more faces are read before enjoying a goal, the more information accumulates and the more the surveillance model that puts fundamental rights at risk in a far-reaching experiment is perfected.

¿Reduction of Fraud in World Cup?

The official discourse speaks of “fluidity,” of “contactless access,” of “reduction of fraud and waiting times.”

In practice, the narratives of efficiency, modernization and public safety expose everyone to algorithmic biases that cause unjustified detentions, false positives due to technological failures, or the massive violation of privacy by collecting sensitive biometric data without informed consent.

Already in the 2019 Copa America, Brazil advanced not only as a pioneer in the application of biometric facial recognition technologies based on artificial intelligence (AI), but also in cases of erroneous identification that ended up including innocent people on a “blacklist” near the Maracaná stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

World Cup and Biometric Controls

Without a public evaluation of the effectiveness of these systems, in June 2025 Brazil became the first country to impose mass biometric surveillance by law, when the General Sports Law No. 14,597 implemented mandatory biometric control systems —facial recognition or fingerprint— in all Brazilian stadiums with a capacity exceeding 20,000 people.

Chile, in January 2026, also announced the mandatory implementation of a Fan Facial Registry system to access the Monumental Stadium.

Although since the 2022-2023 season Mexico had extensively adopted biometric registration of stadium attendees, authorities announced that access to the 2026 World Cup matches will be “100% digitized” through biometric readers at turnstiles.

NFL teams, such as the Carolina Panthers, have already implemented facial recognition systems to control access to their venues.

The industry speaks of efficiency, time reduction and brand protection. And the 2026 World Cup, jointly hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada, is the perfect pretext to scale this model and turn the World Cup into a general rehearsal for social control.

Digital rights organizations question the opacity of such systems due to the lack of evaluations to prevent false identifications, biases and racial profiling, as occurred in the 2017 Champions League final in Cardiff, where the facial scanning system incorrectly identified more than 2,000 people as potential criminals.

Civil rights advocates also warn that, in the context of the 2026 World Cup in the U.S., the situation could worsen in line with the aggressive immigration policies of the current administration, especially against certain nationalities, putting them at risk of arbitrary detention or deportation.

But not only fans face risks: surveillance technologies can also affect players’ careers due to their impact on contract negotiations.

According to the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPRO), 80% of surveyed players want to access the collection and use of their data, but they don’t have it nor know how it is stored.

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