WHO – PAHO Series of webinars “Lessons learned from previous mega sporting events”
The FIFA World Cup, a global sporting phenomenon, is set to make history with its 2026 edition, hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States. To support the knowledge sharing and help the three host countries in planning and delivering a successful and memorable FIFA World Cup 2026, the WHO-PAHO Health Security Working Group is hosting a series of webinars to present lessons learned from previous mega-sporting events primarily around health security and emergencies.
The first webinar took place on September 14, 2023, with the aim of sharing valuable lessons from the Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022, Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 Olympics, Brazil FIFA World Cup 2014 and Rio 2016 Games, focused on health emergency preparations.
Insights:SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS
Security presents an integral part of the public health risk management at the interface of health and security for emergency preparedness, readiness and response, nevertheless, the critical cooperation between health and security sectors remains under explored. With this in mind, the WHO and PAHO organized the second webinar which took place on January 31, 2024, focusing on the intersection between security and health security interface. It drew attendees from government entities, such as Ministries of Health, Security and Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Security and Security Forces from the 35 countries of the Americas.
The Panelists included speakers from international organizations:
FIFA
INTERPOL
UNICRI/OAS
CARICOM/IMPACS
From theory to practice
Enhancing health and safety outcomes for every FIFA World Cup 2026 participant
FIFA aims to efficiently coordinate medical, safety, and security operations through collaborative planning, ensuring the event’s service levels align with it’s significance. Integration of FIFA and local event hosts’ expertise for FIFA World Cup 2026 will help to address specific gaps, while understanding local operational mechanisms and coordination will minimize disruption to community care, leaving a positive legacy of the event.
Safe and Secure events through INTERPOL’s PROJECT STADIA
INTERPOL’s Project Stadia provides critical support where security and health security intersect. Using knowledge from both fields, it ensures the safety and well-being of individuals in stadium settings. To ensure a comprehensive approach to public safety, security protocols during the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be implemented to prevent threats while also addressing health concerns, such as crowd management.
Promoting and developing cooperation among Member States to prevent, combat and eliminate terrorism.
In preparation for FIFA World Cup 2026, the Organization of American States (OAS), through its Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (OAS/CICTE), and the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), will develop a set of best practices for major sports event security to encourage integrated planning, public-private sectors partnerships, community engagement, and regional cooperation for the event.
Building a Secure and Flourishing Caribbean Community
The webinar concluded with a presentation from CARICOM IMPACS, which will play a critical role during the FIFA World Cup 2026, particularly in assisting with security efforts in Caribbean countries and regions.
Setting the stage for safe and successful events
All panelists agreed that ensuring FIFA World Cup 2026 security through regional coordination, intelligence sharing, training, and public safety initiatives will be critical to the event’s success.
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