WATCH: A country led by a strongman sent security officers to the FIFA World Cup — but it’s not the one some politicians feared
Bob Mackin
Qatar isn’t just playing Canada in Vancouver’s second FIFA World Cup match on June 18.
The natural gas-rich Middle East kingdom is also part of the security operation.
In late May, two Qatar Emiri Air Force C-17 Globemasters flew in and out of Vancouver International Airport. On June 10, another arrived at Abbotsford International Airport.
Social media videos from Qatar show Qatar government officials and military personnel and members of the RCMP in red serge on the tarmac in Abbotsford and vehicles on Highway 1 and other Lower Mainland roadways.
The state Qatar News Agency (QNA) says the Internal Security Force, also known as Lekhwiya (brother in Arabic), is a legacy of Qatar’s 2022 World Cup hosting. Ambassador Tariq Ali Faraj Al Ansari welcomed the force at Abbotsford International Airport to commence “its mission as part of the tournament’s approved security framework” through July 7, the last match scheduled for Vancouver.
“The deployment follows a letter of intent signed between Qatar and Canada in Doha in January, under which Qatar agreed to provide security support and expertise derived from its successful hosting of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022,” according to QNA.
The commander of the Lekhwiya is Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, Minister of Interior and brother of Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar. Also involved, Col. Nawaf Mohammad Al-Otaibi.
Canadian VIPs at Canada vs. Qatar match
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney will attend the B.C. Place Stadium match with B.C. Premier David Eby. Carney’s foreign minister, Anita Anand, has described Qatar as a Canadian ally. Eby said Qatar is a target of B.C.’s economic development promotion efforts, with hopes of luring the kingdom to invest in B.C. They may get a chance to meet the Emir.
Another Qatar Air Force flight is scheduled to touch down about 90 minutes before kickoff at YVR.
Qatar gifted President Donald Trump a $400 million Boeing 747 presidential jet, expected to launch for the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence on the 4th of July.
Qatar 2022 security
In 2022, Qatar relied on 49,000 security personnel, with support from the U.S., U.K., Spain, Turkey, Jordan, Oman and Kuwait, according to research paper on Qatar’s 2022 security strategy, by a professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies obtained by theBreaker.news from the Washington National Guard under freedom of information.
“Qatar’s efforts in crowd management, cybersecurity, and maintaining public order illustrate a holistic approach to event security,” wrote Muhanad Seloom. “The successful integration of these measures, resulting in a low number of incidents despite a massive influx of visitors, demonstrates the effectiveness of Qatar’s collaborative and comprehensive security framework. This World Cup serves as a crucial case study, providing valuable insights and strategies for future event organizers, emphasizing the importance of adaptability, technological integration, and international cooperation in security planning for large-scale events.”
Human rights, corruption questions
In its 2025 annual report, Amnesty International’s summary on Qatar said: “Migrant workers remained vulnerable to labour abuses and exploitation despite recent reforms. Freedom of expression and peaceful assembly continued to be tightly restricted. Religious minorities, women, children and LGBTI people continued to face discrimination in law and practice. Qatar remained a leading exporter of liquefied natural gas.”
A 2025 article in the journal Studies in Conflict and Terrorism noted that Qatar “escaped accountability” for its role in the Oct. 7, 2023 massacre of Israelis. “Qatar supported Hamas for strategic and ideational reasons, mostly related to inter-Arab politics, despite Hamas’s terrorism.”
Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, before he became emir, visited Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympics, where he attended the same International Olympic Committee meetings at the Westin Bayshore as FIFA president Sepp Blatter and predecessor Joao Havelange, Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak and sport minister Vitaly Mutko.
In December of 2010, FIFA chose Russia to host the 2018 World Cup and Qatar to host in 2022 — decisions tainted by allegations of bribery.
Anti-ICE
In February 2026, Vancouver city councillors Pete Fry (Green) and Sean Orr (COPE) unsuccessfuly proposed a city council letter to federal officials to ban U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from Vancouver during the World Cup.
Committee chair Mike Klassen (ABC) deemed the motion out of order.
“U.S. agencies have zero jurisdiction, zero authority to conduct law enforcement in Canada,” said ABC Coun. Brian Montague. “The premise of the motion that U.S. enforcement will show up and be deployed is fundamentally incorrect and inaccurate.”
On Feb. 23, Mayor Ken Sim issued a public statement that said ICE is neither legally able to operate in the city nor is it welcome. On the same day, VPD Chief Steve Rai wrote to council to call the motion fear-mongering.
Members of ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations are deployed at U.S. diplomatic missions in Canada, including Vancouver, and collaborate with Canadian agencies. But they are not armed.
Subscribe to theBreaker.news on Substack. Find out how: Click here.
Bob Mackin Qatar isn’t just playing Canada in
