BREAKING NEWS: World Cup Requires 'Increased Vigilance,' FinCEN Warns

Financial services companies in and around the 11 cities hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America should screen transactions for links to human traffickers and report those that show them, regardless of their size, the U.S. financial intelligence unit advised Monday.

In a seven-page alert, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network listed several examples of transactions that may involve labor traffickers, sex traffickers or other criminals who use fraud or coercion to control their victims, such as bulk purchases of prepaid cards; peer-to-peer payments with vague references; and withdrawals from ATMs at gas stations, especially after 10:00 P.M.

"FinCEN recommends increased vigilance," the bureau warned. "It is also critical that customer-facing financial-institution staff are aware of behavior indicators that may indicate human trafficking, as victims ... may have no contact with people outside of their traffickers."

Cities and regions hosting the tournament include Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and New Jersey, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle; Toronto, Ontario, and Vancouver, British Columbia; and Guadalajara and Monterrey in Mexico, in addition to Mexico City.

Moneylaundering.com may update this coverage as more information becomes available.

• Topics: Human trafficking, Labor trafficking, Modern Slavery, Other Predicate Crimes, World Cup, ACAMS Initiatives
• Source: U.S.: FinCEN
• Document Date: May 11, 2026