Security Advisory: FIFA World Cup

The group stage is over and we’re into the knockout stages following today’s rest day. The tournament has now finished in four locations: Cuiaba, Curitiba, Manaus, and Natal but I’m sure the party will continue in full force despite the lack of visiting teams.

With regard to the potential violence of South American fans I mentioned yesterday, an Argentine fan was shot in the leg during a dispute in Porto Alegre (the closest host city to the Argentine border). Brazil previously had a ban on selling alcohol in stadia due to violent fans, this law was rescinded as a FIFA stipulation for hosting the tournament, indicating that there is a propensity for drunken violence at these matches. When it comes to international rivalry, things may get even worse. I’m not forecasting the apocalypse however, be aware of your surroundings and don’t get baited into an argument with rowdy fans from another country.

The heavy weather in North of Brazil proved too much for many fans. There were an unfortunate number of empty seats for kick off due to the widespread flooding and impassable streets. One report stated a 40min drive took 4hrs! This had been a serious concern for matches in both Recife and Natal however the storm has been weathered and there is only one match to go in Recife on Sunday but the forecast is for rain. Just be ready with an alternative route in mind and leave plenty of time to get to the game, this has to take into account both the transit time and the large security queues that could be even longer when have the staff can’t make it for similar reasons. Be aware of your valuables in these instances, tropical rain isn’t a misty shower like NYC or London; you will be drenched to the core in a matter of minutes so be prepared to get very wet, very quickly, while keeping your phone, money, and tickets dry.