Brussels, 11 June 2026
As the FIFA World Cup begins today, EENA warns that an unresolved emergency communications issue could leave European fans unable to reach 911 while travelling in the United States.
As millions of football fans prepare to travel across North America for the FIFA World Cup, EENA – the European Emergency Number Association – is warning that European visitors to the United States may face a serious and unresolved safety risk: in an emergency, some may not be able to call 911 from their mobile phone.
The problem comes from the shutdown of 2G and 3G networks in the United States, combined with unresolved interoperability issues between some mobile phones bought and configured outside the US and American 4G/5G voice services. In practice, this means that some European travellers may be unable to place an emergency call at all, including in the event of a medical emergency, road accident, or security incident.
EENA first raised this issue in 2022 and has since engaged repeatedly with relevant stakeholders in both the United States and the European Union. Despite this, no concrete and universally implemented solution appears to have been put in place. EENA has also brought this issue to the attention of Commissioner Glenn Micallef, European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport on 22 April 2026. In this letter, which can be accessed here, EENA urged the European Commission to contact US authorities to clarify what steps are being taken to ensure that European travellers can reach emergency services during the tournament. This letter remains unanswered so far.
EENA regrets that, despite repeated warnings since 2022, this issue remains unresolved as the World Cup begins. Being unable to call emergency services in a medical emergency, road accident, or security incident is a serious safety risk. European travellers going to the United States should be aware of this risk before they travel. EENA urges travellers to check with their mobile operator whether their phone will be able to make emergency calls in the US, to make sure they have alternative ways to seek help if needed, and to share this information with friends and family travelling to the tournament.
