World Cup 2026: One in Six Public Wi-Fi Networks in Mexican Host Cities Unsafe, Kaspersky Warns

By Reginah Wamboi June 8, 2026

2 minutes read

Kaspersky reports 17% of major Mexico cities open Wi-Fi spots unsecure

With the FIFA World Cup 2026 kicking off on June 11, cybersecurity firm Kaspersky is warning football fans and travellers heading to Mexico that a significant share of the public Wi-Fi networks they will encounter pose serious security risks.

Researchers from Kaspersky’s Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT) analysed more than 84,000 Wi-Fi network signals across Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey, three of the Mexican cities hosting matches. The researchers found that 17% of networks had weak or no encryption, leaving users exposed to data theft, traffic interception, and credential harvesting.

The breakdown by city showed 16.5% of networks in Mexico City were classified as unsafe, compared to 18.5% in Guadalajara and 17.2% in Monterrey. Only 2.9% of all analysed networks were found to use WPA3, the latest and most robust Wi-Fi security standard.

Beyond outright unsafe networks, the research flagged a deeper concern. Almost half, 45%, of networks that appeared secure through WPA2 or WPA3 encryption were still exposing WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) capabilities, an outdated protocol widely considered vulnerable to attack. In Mexico City, that figure reached 53.7%. Users connected to these networks remain at risk of traffic interception, session hijacking, and device compromise even when the network displays standard security indicators.

“One of the first things travellers do after turning off airplane mode is look for internet access. Staying connected is now essential for navigation, transportation, payments, communication, and social media. But convenience often comes at the expense of security,” said Maria Isabel Manjarrez, security researcher at Kaspersky’s GReAT team. “Travellers should remember that public Wi-Fi networks and the vulnerabilities behind them remain a prime target for cybercriminals, especially during periods of high tourist activity.”

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Kaspersky recommends that World Cup attendees use a VPN to encrypt traffic on public networks, avoid accessing banking or sensitive accounts over public Wi-Fi, verify network legitimacy with the establishment providing it, and keep device software and security tools up to date. Disabling file sharing and AirDrop, enabling device firewalls, and using a password manager rather than storing credentials in notes or photo galleries are also advised.