Security zones will be in place around World Cup match venues and those without tickets are being urged to “avoid traveling to match venues” and instead “attend designated fan events if they can’t get tickets to the matches.” The Federal Aviation Administration is also imposing “temporary flight restrictions around all U.S. World Cup venues.” The FBI said that there are “no specific credible threats at this time, but warned of ongoing cyber scams targeting ticket buyers” (MIAMI HERALD, 5/29). The FBI has been preparing for the “potential for violence, explosives or any hoax threats that may be called in or made online.” They are also “looking out for any signs of human trafficking.” FBI-Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Marlo Graham said that “there will be a ‘heavy law enforcement presence,’ particularly downtown near the stadium and Centennial Olympic Park” when the games come to the city (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 5/29).
Defending World Cup champion Argentina will be the “first international soccer team to arrive” in K.C. for the tournament. Argentina is one of four squads that will have a World Cup base camp in the K.C. area, along with the Netherlands, England and Algeria. Argentina F Lionel Messi and his teammates will be traveling on Aerolineas Argentinas in a plane labeled as the “most Argentinian plane in the world.” It has blue-and-white stripes on the tail with Messi’s No. 10 (K.C. STAR, 5/30).
Dozens of Haitians, Haitian Americans and soccer fans “crowded together waving flags, beaming expectantly at North Miami’s Moca Plaza” on Saturday to meet players on the Haitian national soccer team (MIAMI HERALD 5/30).
More World Cup headlines:
- Wall Street Journal: How FIFA’s biggest world cup unleashed a summer of price gouging
- Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Worried about World Cup traffic? Planning, technology should help ease jams.
- K.C. Star: KC Metro boosts public transportation for the World Cup. But will it stick around?
- Seattle Times: The U.S. likely won’t contend at FIFA Men’s World Cup. Here’s why
- L.A. Times: U.S. and Canadian refs to have a record-sized presence at World Cup
