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When the world gathers to watch the Winter Olympics and the FIFA World Cup, the spectacle extends far beyond the sport itself. Behind every ticket scan, live broadcast and mobile app lies a web of digital systems that must function flawlessly. In 2026, those systems will be tested not just by scale and demand, but by an increasingly sophisticated cyber threat landscape.
Global sporting events such as the Winter Olympics and the FIFA World Cup have become some of the most attractive targets in the cyber threat landscape. Their appeal lies not just in scale, but in visibility. Billions of viewers, millions of spectators and near-total reliance on digital systems create an environment where even minor disruption can have an outsized impact.
From ticketing platforms and transport systems to live broadcasting, access control and mobile apps, modern events operate as interconnected digital ecosystems. Each dependency increases the attack surface, while compressed timelines and public scrutiny raise the stakes for defenders.
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina, followed by the 2026 FIFA World Cup across North America, offer a timely illustration of how these risks are evolving and how organisations are responding.
Italy’s National Cybersecurity Agency has been preparing for the Winter Games well ahead of the opening ceremony. According to reporting by Reuters, dedicated teams have been monitoring online forums, threat actor communications and criminal marketplaces to identify early warning signs of planned attacks.
Rather than focusing solely on technical vulnerabilities, this approach reflects a broader understanding of attacker intent. Disruption to high-profile services such as ticketing, transport or live streaming is often designed to attract attention rather than achieve long-term access. Even brief outages can undermine public confidence and dominate news cycles.
Reuters highlights that Italy’s preparations include intelligence sharing and real-time monitoring, recognising that cyber threats to the Games may come from a mix of financially motivated criminals, hacktivist groups and state-linked actors seeking influence or visibility.
Artificial intelligence has changed how attackers operate, particularly in high-pressure environments like international sporting events. Security analysts warn that AI-enabled tools allow threat actors to scale reconnaissance, automate exploitation attempts and create more convincing social engineering campaigns.
In the context of the Winter Olympics, this could involve realistic phishing messages aimed at volunteers, contractors or suppliers, or automated scanning of exposed infrastructure during peak periods when response teams are stretched. Research into expected threat actors around Milano Cortina 2026 suggests that both criminal groups and advanced persistent threat (APT) actors are likely to leverage these techniques.
AI does not replace traditional attack methods, but it does accelerate them. This increases the importance of early detection, behavioural monitoring and rehearsed incident response rather than reliance on static controls alone.
Later in 2026, the FIFA World Cup will introduce a different but equally demanding security challenge. Spread across the United States, Canada and Mexico, the tournament will rely on digital infrastructure across 16 host cities, multiple jurisdictions and countless third-party providers.
This distributed model significantly expands the attack surface. Mobile ticketing, payment systems, fan engagement platforms and stadium connectivity must all operate reliably under intense load. Disruption does not need to be widespread to be effective. Targeted attacks against authentication services, event apps or payment platforms can quickly affect public trust, particularly for travelling fans navigating unfamiliar environments.
Analysis of World Cup preparations highlights concerns around coordinated attacks, misinformation campaigns and fraud aimed directly at supporters. These risks extend beyond the stadium perimeter and into the broader digital ecosystem supporting the event.
While the Olympics and World Cup operate at an exceptional scale, the underlying challenges are increasingly familiar to many organisations. High visibility, complex supply chains and heavy dependence on digital services are now common across sectors.
These events demonstrate that cybersecurity resilience is not just about prevention. It is about understanding where disruption would cause the greatest harm, preparing teams to operate under pressure and maintaining trust when incidents occur. Early testing, realistic exercises and close coordination between stakeholders are critical long before any public deadline approaches.
For organisations beyond sport, the lesson is clear. If your business relies on digital availability, customer trust or public confidence, the principles applied to protecting global events are directly relevant. Cyber threats do not wait for the spotlight, and neither should preparation.
AJC supports organisations in building cyber resilience where it matters most. We help clients understand their exposure to disruption, assess the effectiveness of existing controls and prepare teams to respond confidently when incidents occur.
Our work focuses on practical risk management, regulatory alignment and incident preparedness, helping organisations move from reactive responses to a more informed and resilient approach to cyber risk.
Contact us on 020 7101 4861 or email us at info@ajollyconsulting.co.uk if you think we can help.
Sources:
https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/italy-sets-milano-cortina-security-plan
https://mexicobusiness.news/cybersecurity/news/ipn-strengthens-cybersecurity-2026-world-cup
https://www.darkreading.com/cybersecurity-operations/crowds-drones-world-cup-cyber-challenges
https://www.zerofox.com/intelligence/assessment-olympic-winter-games-milano-cortina-2026/
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/world-cup-2026-security-defense-b2905163.html
Image accreditation: Wikimedia Commons. Last accessed on 2nd February 2026. Available at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Andrej_%C5%A0porn_at_the_2010_Winter_Olympic_downhill.jpg
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