A vaccine-focused publication backed by Gavi cited international travel and mass gatherings during the 2026 World Cup as factors that may have accelerated measles transmission across the Western Hemisphere, including the United States.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom.

A vaccine-focused publication created by Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, is pointing to international travel surrounding the 2026 FIFA World Cup as one factor that may have contributed to the spread of measles across the Americas amid declining vaccination coverage.

VaccinesWork published a report Monday under the headline, “Measles vaccine push urged in Americas after World Cup,” calling for higher immunization rates while also highlighting the role of international mobility and large sporting events in spreading the highly contagious virus between countries.

“The Americas reports record levels of measles as vaccination coverage declines and football World Cup fuels transmission,” the article’s subheading stated.

The report cited epidemiology researchers who said the movement of millions of people between countries during the tournament created conditions that could facilitate transmission.

“High mobility associated with international travel and mass events are factors that can favor the spread of the virus within and between countries,” said Bianca de Oliveira Cata Preta, an epidemiology researcher who conducts child vaccine research for Gavi and the World Health Organization.

The 2026 tournament generated particularly large travel volumes across the United States, Mexico and Canada during June and July, when fans from around the world traveled throughout the three host countries.

VaccinesWork connected that mobility with the broader resurgence of measles in the Western Hemisphere, reporting that 95% of cases recorded in the Americas during 2026 were concentrated in the United States, Guatemala, Mexico and Peru.

The outlet attributed that figure to the Pan American Health Organization. However, the PAHO link cited in the report was not functioning as of Friday afternoon.

The scale of international movement associated with the tournament was substantial.

The United States hosted 78 World Cup matches in 11 cities during the summer, accounting for nearly three-quarters of the tournament’s games, according to EuroNews.

Before competition began, the State Department anticipated between 5 million and 7 million international visitors traveling to the United States for the World Cup, according to information reported by The National Desk.

Pennsylvania provides one example of the overlap between major World Cup crowds and an area now reporting a large number of measles cases.

Philadelphia hosted six tournament matches and attracted more than 500,000 visitors for the events, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.

Five national teams that played in Philadelphia represented Western Hemisphere countries: Ecuador, Brazil, Haiti, Costa Rica and Paraguay.

Pennsylvania has since reported the largest number of measles cases among U.S. states, with 850 infections recorded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as of Thursday.

Lancaster County has drawn particular attention because of its elevated infection rate, with the county’s outbreak receiving national coverage.

The VaccinesWork article did not present international World Cup travel as the only cause of the outbreaks. Its framing also emphasized declining vaccination coverage, while Cata Preta said travel and mass gatherings were factors that can help the virus move both within countries and across national borders.

VaccinesWork was launched in March 2020 by Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance as a publication covering global health, vaccines and immunization.

The organization receives substantial philanthropic support. The Gates Foundation announced in 2025 that it would contribute $1.6 billion to Gavi.

That funding is tied to a broader international vaccination effort aimed at expanding immunization worldwide, including a global strategy seeking to increase vaccine access for children by 2030.

The new VaccinesWork report therefore combines two explanations for the current measles resurgence: gaps in vaccination coverage and the ability of large international events to move infected people across borders.

With millions of foreign visitors entering North America for the World Cup and large crowds gathering repeatedly in host cities, researchers cited by the outlet said the tournament created the kind of high-mobility environment in which measles can spread more easily between communities and countries.

Original article