FIFA World Cup 2026: Rising Online Fraud Exploiting Nepalis’ Desire to Watch Free Football
“People who fall victim to online scams find it extremely difficult to recover their money,” said senior officials from the Nepal Police Cyber Bureau. Cybersecurity experts recommend that avoiding such fraud altogether is the best protection. The Cyber Bureau has identified a sharp increase in scams linked to fraudulent online links promising free access to FIFA World Cup football matches. Despite repeated public warnings from the police, banks, and financial institutions, these scams continue to rise daily. So far, losses have totaled approximately NPR 22.9 million.
When asked on June 11, the opening day of the World Cup football tournament, Police Superintendent Dilip Giri, spokesperson for the Cyber Bureau, reported that 77 complaints had been lodged with losses reaching NPR 16.8 million. Within five days of the tournament’s start, the number of complaints climbed to 115, with total fraud amounting to more than NPR 22.9 million, authorities stated. These figures reflect only reported cases, suggesting actual numbers and funds lost could be much higher. “Negligence and greed have made it impossible to curb this problem. Many fall prey to the lure of free viewing,” Giri said.
Despite repeated warnings by police, media outlets, and banks, even experienced users fall victim to these scams. Fraudsters typically send messages on social media urging people to “click this link” to watch football matches free of charge. Clicking such links forces users to download an APK file and accept various permissions. This year, the official viewing fee for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is set at NPR 999 for television and NPR 549 for mobile access.
Cybersecurity expert Vijay Limbu explained that vulnerabilities among users and inadequate government responsiveness have contributed to the rising fraud. “Understanding why people fall victim to these scams is a critical question, and the government must address it at a national level,” Limbu said. He compared the spike in scams during the World Cup to an epidemic like dengue fever, emphasizing the need for timely awareness and prevention campaigns. A spokesperson from Nepal Rastra Bank confirmed that various measures against online fraud are already in place. “If hacking is suspected, we can verbally instruct banks to freeze accounts within 48 hours,” the spokesperson stated.
