Why 2026 World Cup security opted for friendly Labrador Retrievers over fierce German Shepherds

As the 2026 World Cup is a match away from concluding, FIFA has managed its first-ever three-country hosting, with security a key concern.

Here's where the dogs entered.

It is not uncommon to spot German Shepherds as security dogs outside and inside the venues.

Yet, in this World Cup, they were replaced by a Labrador Retriever.

Glen Kucera explained the new approach in an interview with Reuters.

“People aren’t afraid of Labs. The organisation was trying to make it look like it wasn’t a dangerous situation,” said, the President of Allied Universal Enhanced ‌Protection Services, ​a private firm which provides canine security services in the U.S.

Though German Shepherds as a whole are not ruled out of World Cup security.

The heightened level of security is essential, given that the World Cup is taking place against a backdrop of global tensions.

U.S. and Iran conflict, for example.

Kucera shared that, during the Iran matches in Los Angeles, demonstrations were expected outside the stadium, which posed another challenge for the tournament's security.

"There's a different threat level when that's happening," he said.

But in the expert's view, when fans spotted sniffing dogs at almost every checkpoint, it acted as a deterrent, if not solely for detecting them.

"Ninety-five percent of what we do is a visual deterrent," Kucera continued.

“That’s the point. Everybody attending is likely to ​realise they’re being assessed by the nose of a security dog, something which provides a key deterrent to a terrorist or any other person planning something dangerous,” he said.

“Ninety-five percent of what we do is a visual deterrent," Kucera concluded.

Argentina and Spain, meanwhile, are set to face off in the 2026 World Cup final.