Major global sporting events, like the FIFA World Cup, can be a major revenue opportunity for business owners. The upcoming World Cup in Vancouver and Toronto will bring spikes in foot traffic near stadiums, transit hubs, and entertainment districts, plus more hotel stays, dining, and last‑minute retail purchases. However, the same surge can also increase risk: higher rates of theft and fraud, more after-hours break-ins, heavier pressure on staff and managers, and disruptions from road closures, demonstrations, and supply delays.
Preparing now for the FIFA World Cup helps you protect your people, premises, and profits. Enable your business to focus on positive growth and brand exposure while reducing preventable losses.
Background: The Cost of Security for a Global Stage
Year over year, we are seeing growing security spending for world sporting events. The 2024 Olympics in Paris cited a security spend in excess of 2 billion euros (3.2 billion CAD), while the previous World Cup in Qatar had a spend of over $1.1 billion. That said, the security budget is only part of the picture of the true cost of these events. Direct incident costs, cybercrime and ransomware, reputational risk, and other lasting security impacts have costs for businesses and cities that can linger for years after a global event.
Learn more about the risk considerations for FIFA in our blog.
In preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Vancouver and Toronto, retail shops, hospitality businesses, office towers, construction sites, industrial sites, and warehouses should thoroughly review their security programs and plans.
Paladin has created a quick start guide to ensure your security program is ready for the FIFA World Cup.
Common Security Threats During Large-Scale Events
- Counterfeit cash (Canadian and Foreign) /chargebacks
- Theft from vehicles, loading bays
- After-hours break-ins
- Crowd surges near transit hubs
- Demonstrations, protests, and road closures
- Violence in crowds (consider “Crowd-mentality violence”)
- Cybersecurity crimes (e.g. event and parking ticket scams)
Security Prevention & Preparation
- Access control: Ensure all building access points have proper control mechanisms (keys, access cards, gates, etc.) and conduct an audit to ensure that there are no missing or unaccounted-for keys or fobs. Review of ingress and egress strategy and conduct a comprehensive review of all facilities to address vulnerabilities
- Training and security awareness for staff and visitors: Refresh security training and policies for all staff, contractors, and visitors to your facility before the World Cup events. Sending out regular reminders for staff to stay safe throughout the events can ensure that security stays top of mind.
- Conduct a risk assessment: Identify potential threats, evaluate your building’s vulnerabilities, conduct a physical security controls review, and develop and practice an emergency response plan.
Crime Detection & Deterrence
- Proper security systems and surveillance: Ensure that security systems (access control, cameras, etc.) are in good working order, recently updated, and optimized for high-traffic zones or areas with a history of incidents.
- Adequate security presence: Ensuring that security posts are appropriately staffed for any anticipated influx in traffic or incidents. Hiring staff for event security ensures your security team is trained in crowd control behaviours, pre-incident indicator recognition, and behavioural baselining. Consider increasing mobile security patrols for additional coverage during off-hours.
Incident Response
- A robust Emergency Response and Crisis Management plan: Having an updated and thorough emergency response plan (ERP) and business continuity plan (BCP) ensures that incidents are anticipated and can be properly handled. Similarly, an updated crisis management plan (CMP) ensures that staff understand the appropriate protocols and channels of communication during a crisis.
- Tabletop exercises: Practicing anticipated security threat response can assist in running through response plans and protocols. Download Paladin’s tabletop exercise template for commercial properties.
- Live updates on security incidents: Leveraging technology like BlueSky from Paladin Risk can help you monitor nearby threats. Paladin Security clients can also use our Downtown Integrated Security Community (DISC) program, as part of our mobile patrol service, for real-time updates on local issues. Instant alerts lead to faster decisions and better outcomes for your property.
Resources
Check with your local police or RCMP on safety and security guidelines and updates on threats to be on the lookout for. Some examples include:
Prior to the World Cup events, review resources on event-permitting and emergency planning guides from the City of Vancouver and the City of Toronto. These resources will contain location-specific information and emergency escalation protocols.
Need a sophisticated security program review? Speak to one of our experts today to schedule your security program audit.