Cleaning is not background work for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It is performance infrastructure that supports athlete health, fan safety, infection prevention, indoor air quality, venue continuity, and operational resilience.

Why this alert matters

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be the largest in history, with more teams, matches, and host cities than any previous tournament. The tournament runs June 11 through July 19, 2026.

FIFA has finalized where each of the 39 national teams will train, sleep, and eat during the tournament—spanning 19 states and 37 U.S. cities. An additional nine teams will be based in Canada and Mexico. That geography does not include the 11 American cities hosting World Cup matches.

World Cup readiness cannot be limited to match stadiums. Teams, fans, staff, media, sponsors, and support personnel will move through training centers, hotels, airports, buses, locker rooms, physiotherapy spaces, hydration stations, restrooms, restaurants, universities, and community facilities.

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Share your World Cup cleaning readiness story

ISSA’s Making Safer Choices Community of Practice invites anyone involved in decisions about how buildings, transportation facilities, training environments, hotels, venues, and public spaces will be cleaned and disinfected during the FIFA World Cup to contribute stories and successes. Submit through the Get Involved section at issa.com/making-safer-choices.

Everyone can share a story at no cost, just go to the ISSA Making Safer Choices page here. Topics include:

• How your facility is preparing for World Cup-related activity
• How you are selecting safer cleaning and disinfecting products
• How you are training cleaning workers
• How you are improving indoor air quality
• How you are preparing transportation, hotels, restrooms, locker rooms, or fan-facing spaces
• How your organization is using evidence-based cleaning to protect athletes, staff, fans, and communities
• How cleaning is being connected to infection prevention, sustainability, and operational resilience

Cleaning for performance

The ISSA article “FIFA World Cup 2026 and Cleaning for Performance” explains that cleaning for the World Cup should be risk-based, evidence-based, measured, and aligned with athlete performance science—and must not be limited to visible appearance.

At a tournament of this scale, cleaning contributes directly to athlete health and availability, fan safety and confidence, infection prevention, indoor air quality, venue continuity, staff protection, reduced absenteeism, operational resilience, and reduced sustainability and chemical footprints.

Critical cleaning environments

• Locker rooms and athlete recovery spaces
• Training facilities and sports performance centers
• Physiotherapy and medical treatment areas
• Hydration stations and shared equipment areas
• Restrooms and high-traffic public spaces
• Team hotels, hospitality spaces, and dining areas
• Transportation environments, including airports, buses, shuttles, and rail connections

Team base camp locations across the U.S.

World Cup cleaning will be carried out across many cities, many facility types, and many different organizations. The locations below may experience increased demand for cleaning, disinfection, indoor air quality management, athlete support services, infection prevention planning, and event-readiness operations.

Readiness priorities for cleaning and facility teams

Risk-based cleaning plans

Identifying high-risk spaces, high-touch surfaces, shared equipment, food and hydration areas, restrooms, locker rooms, athlete recovery areas, and transportation touchpoints.

Measured cleaning performance

Using standardized protocols, supervision, quality assurance, documentation, and verification methods to ensure cleaning is consistent and defensible.

Infection prevention readiness

Preparing for respiratory viruses, gastrointestinal illness, skin infections, and other communicable disease risks that spread quickly in mass-gathering environments.

Indoor air quality and ventilation

Treating ventilation, filtration, and indoor air monitoring as part of performance infrastructure. Cleaner air supports healthier athletes, staff, fans, and facility occupants.

Safer product selection

Choosing cleaning and disinfecting products appropriate to the risk, surface, setting, and people being protected. Product selection should support health, performance, worker safety, sustainability, and chemical-footprint reduction.

Workforce training and protection

Providing cleaning workers with clear procedures, correct product use instructions, personal protective equipment, adequate staffing, and the support needed to perform safely and effectively.

Continuity of operations

Planning for surge staffing, supply-chain continuity, waste handling, restroom demand, emergency response, and communication protocols.

More than a sporting event

The FIFA World Cup is a test of readiness for every part of the built environment that supports athletes, fans, workers, and communities. Cleaning is performance infrastructure—one that ensures specific, measurable outcomes aligned directly with how buildings are used.

Sources

NPR: 2026 FIFA World Cup team base camps: https://www.npr.org/2026/05/26/nx-s1-5835227/world-cup-2026-cities-training-base

ISSA: FIFA World Cup 2026 and Cleaning for Performance: https://www.issa.com/articles/fifa-world-cup-2026-and-cleaning-for-performance/

ISSA: Making Safer Choices Community of Practice: https://www.issa.com/making-safer-choices/