Argentina has provided U.S. authorities with a list of 35,000 individuals banned from attending soccer matches, including more than 13,000 fathers who have failed to pay child support. The database was sent to the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, and other international agencies as Argentina prepares to host World Cup matches on American soil.
Argentine Minister of National Security Alejandra Monteoliva stated that individuals delinquent on child support payments will be barred from entering stadiums. "If you don't meet your obligations, you stay out of the stadiums," she said.
The list originates from Argentina's Tribuna Segura, or "safe seats," database, which was launched in 2016 and formalized nationally in 2018. The system scans national identity documents at stadium entrances to identify individuals wanted by police or already banned from matches. Thousands of parents who defaulted on child support were added to this database on May 13, and the full list was officially transmitted to U.S. law enforcement on June 11.
While Argentina employs the Tribuna Segura program nationwide, no similar system currently exists in the United States. Michael Alcazar, a former NYPD detective and adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, described the list as a "valuable tool" for law enforcement, suggesting it could aid in apprehending offenders who may let their guard down at sporting events. "People normally have their guards down when they're attending sporting events… and you could probably track and place into custody many offenders that way," Alcazar noted, adding that the system's effectiveness would depend on cooperation with the U.S. court system.
According to Argentine officials, the Tribuna Segura database identified over 1,100 individuals with outstanding arrest warrants across more than 1,300 matches between 2023 and 2025.