- 73% of fans surveyed trust public Wi-Fi by name alone
- Evil twin attacks exploit stadium networks
- Using a quality VPN secures your data on public networks
As the 2026 World Cup approaches, millions of football fans will unwittingly expose themselves to cyber threats by prioritizing connectivity over security on stadium Wi-Fi networks.
A recent survey commissioned by ExpressVPN, one of the best VPN services on the market, reveals a surprising disconnect between fan enthusiasm and cybersecurity awareness in the run-up to major tournaments like the 2026 World Cup.
A survey of 6,000 soccer fans across six markets found that 73% said they would trust and connect to a public Wi-Fi network if it used the name of a venue they attend. Yet fewer than four in ten fans say they can reliably distinguish a real public Wi-Fi network from a fake one.
This willingness to embrace danger stems from several factors: the desire to instantly share live moments on social media, view real-time scores and stats, stream matches, or simply stay connected while traveling to venues. For many fans, this all seems like an essential part of the trip, which is why they happily connect to insecure networks despite the risks.
Stadium Wi-Fi represents one of the most vulnerable points of a fan’s match experience. These large-scale public networks create ideal conditions for cybercriminals to deploy simple but effective attack vectors.
Among the most widespread threats is so-called evil twin attacks, a technique that involves cybercriminals setting up malicious Wi-Fi networks that mimic the hotspots of legitimate locations to trick people into connecting.
As ExpressVPN Chief Information Security Officer Aaron Engel explains: “Cybercriminals don’t need sophisticated tools to target football fans. They can name a network after a stadium, hotel or fan event and wait for people to connect. Our research shows that familiar names inspire more trust than they should.
Once connected to a malicious network, attackers can intercept login credentials, financial data and personal messages. This exposure can lead to unauthorized account access, identity theft, and financial fraud.
The consequences of such a trap go far beyond momentary inconvenience, with young fans facing the highest stakes. In the United States, for example, 30.2% of fans aged 18 to 29 admitted to checking their banking or financial apps while connected to stadium Wi-Fi.
As personal information becomes more and more valuable, the price of connecting to this insecure network could prove surprisingly high.
Fortunately, protecting yourself doesn’t require sacrificing connectivity or the ability to share your match experience. Taking several simple security measures can significantly reduce exposure to these common threats.
Above all, fans should avoid conducting sensitive activities on public Wi-Fi networks networks entirely. Banking apps, purchases, and password changes all have to wait until you’re on a secure, private connection.
Use a honorable virtual private network (VPN) encrypts all your traffic regardless of the quality of the underlying network, creating a secure tunnel that prevents even advanced attackers from reading transmitted data.
Additionally, travelers should disable automatic Wi-Fi connections before arriving at the destination stadiums. Fans should also ensure that their device operating systems and applications are updated before the trip, and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) on all accounts.
By combining these practices, soccer fans can navigate the 2026 World Cup with confidence and focus on the game rather than security threats.
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