June 09, 2026
Steve Gorman, Reuters
Epidemiologists will be busy this summer sifting through sewage and social media with the goal of keeping football fans and the public safe from severe illness during the World Cup, one of the largest and most globally diverse mass gatherings ever anticipated.
A public health squad based in Washington, DC, plans to monitor wastewater and internet chatter to detect and track infectious diseases should they emerge in any of the US or Canadian cities hosting World Cup players, their matches, and millions of spectators, organisers said.
The 39-day event kicks off in Mexico on Thursday. More than 6.5 million football fans are expected to travel from over 100 countries to witness 104 games in the US, Canada and Mexico.
