The BBC will pay up to £750 for each staff member to take part in “riot training” at this summer’s World Cup. This summer’s competition in the United States, Mexico and Canada begins on June 11th and concludes with the World Cup final on July 29th.
Nevertheless, the tournament will unfold against the backdrop of a turbulent political climate, particularly in the United States and Mexico. This week has seen “May Day” anti-President Donald Trump demonstrations across the United States, and numerous Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations throughout 2026 have been similarly controversial.
Widespread violence erupted in Mexico earlier this year after drug cartel kingpin Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho, was killed while on security duty. As a result, the BBC is spending thousands of dollars to ensure its frontline staff are prepared to deal with any possible situation.
The Telegraph said the BBC required employees traveling across the Atlantic for the tournament to complete a compulsory “security” course and “riot training”.
The training simulates a variety of scenarios and it is thought it would be possible to administer artificial blood to employees. The bill is expected to reach tens of thousands of dollars.
ITV, which also broadcasts World Cup matches, is understood to be sending its own staff to similar courses.
These training sessions were similarly organized for BBC staff ahead of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. It is currently unclear whether such courses have been set up for staff covering the 2014 Brazil Games, the 2018 Russia Games, or the most recent games in Qatar in 2022.
The political situation of all the countries participating in this summer’s competition has shaped the preparations for the first-ever 48-nation tournament. Amnesty International, along with numerous other US civil and human rights organizations, recently issued a World Cup travel advisory for supporters and journalists planning to attend.
Amnesty International said it released this substantive document “in light of the deteriorating human rights situation in the United States and in the absence of any meaningful action or concrete assurances from FIFA, the host city or the United States government.”
They also highlighted that large-scale immigration detention raids across Los Angeles, Chicago, and Minneapolis have escalated into violent clashes between members of the public and enforcement officers.
Jeff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, pushed back against the warning, arguing that many of the concerns raised are vastly exaggerated, saying, “The idea that visiting the United States poses a significant security risk is not a sincere warning, but a political tactic aimed at causing economic harm.”
FIFA responded: “FIFA is committed to respecting all internationally recognized human rights and will seek to promote the protection of these rights.”
