Argentina Faces Hantavirus Outbreak as Thousands to Visit US for World Cup
Argentina is experiencing a sharp rise in hantavirus cases as the country grapples with one of its largest outbreaks of the rare but deadly virus in years. And in just about a month, thousands of people from Argentina are heading to the United States for one of sports’ biggest moments.
Most people hadn't heard of hantavirus until about a week ago when an outbreak on a cruise ship resulted in eight cases and several deaths. Since then, cases have been identified in several countries and passengers from the ship traveling home have raised concerns about the spread of the virus around the globe. But health officials are cautioning people not to panic about the virus.
Fans of Argentina are likely to descend on two cities in June-Dallas and Kansas City-with four other cities also potentially playing host to the team if it keeps winning games.
Argentina is uniquely positioned to draw massive crowds at this World Cup. Not only is the team defending champions-the Albiceleste dramatically won the 2022 title in Qatar-and sits in third place in FIFA’s current world rankings-but this could likely be Lionel Messi’s final time playing in the tournament. The living legend attracts massive crowds wherever he goes, meaning that Argentina games will be a hot ticket for fans beyond those who specifically cheer for Argentina.
How Many Fans Are Expected to Come to US From Argentina?
Exact figures for how many Argentine fans are traveling to the United States for the World Cup have not been publicly released by U.S. or Argentine officials, and neither FIFA nor the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published attendance estimates broken down by country of origin. But, if history is any indication, thousands of people will be coming to the United States to support the team.
Argentina consistently ranks among the top international sources of World Cup travel, particularly when the national team is advancing in tournament play. During previous tournaments, tens of thousands of Argentine supporters traveled internationally to attend matches, according to historical FIFA attendance data.
Reports from the 2022 World Cup estimate that between 35,000 and 40,000 fans made the trip from Argentina to Qatar. When the team returned home victorious, an estimated 5 million people crowded the streets of Buenos Aires to celebrate. Ahead of this year’s tournament, fans are maxing out their credit cards and considering selling their cars to finance the trip and are traveling for days to reach Missouri, according to The New York Times.
Argentina Hantavirus Outbreak
Argentina has reported 101 confirmed hantavirus infections since June 2025, nearly double the number recorded during the same period a year earlier, according to the Argentine Health Ministry. The country has also reported 32 deaths, a 10 percentage point increase from previous years, marking one of its highest fatality rates from the disease in recent years.
Health officials say cases have been identified across multiple regions of Argentina, including Buenos Aires province, which has reported the largest share of recent infections. The Andes virus strain, found primarily in Argentina and Chile, is drawing particular concern because it is the only known hantavirus capable of limited human‑to‑human transmission, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Complicating the outbreak is the long incubation period of the virus. A person can be infected with the virus for weeks without showing symptoms, meaning they could unknowingly be passing it to family members they live with, and people they find themselves in close contact with, like a flight. The WHO is already conducting contact tracing for passengers that were on a flight with a woman who became sick on the cruise ship and traveled to South Africa.
Could the World Cup Become a Super Spreader Event?
The hantavirus outbreak is very new and as the world saw during the COVID-19 pandemic, public health situations can change quickly. But, right now, officials and experts are stressing that the risk to the public is low, partially because of how the virus spreads compared to COVID.
Dr. Jeffrey Goad, professor at Chapman University and president for the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, told Newsweek that the Andes hantavirus' spread rate from person to person is only about 2 to 5 percent. He added that it required "prolonged, close contact," which is why the cruise ship fostered that spread.
"World Cup venues are epidemiologically different," Goad said. "Healthcare preparedness is important, though. CDC and local health departments should be assessing their capacity for testing and contact tracing."
Large World Cup events inherently place people in prolonged proximity, particularly inside stadiums, transit hubs and fan‑gathering events. Major U.S. stadiums hosting World Cup matches often seat 60,000 to more than 80,000 spectators, with fans standing shoulder‑to‑shoulder in seating sections, concourses and public transit before and after games.
Goad said the definition of "close and prolonged contact" isn't necessarily a clear-cut one because transmission depends on the type of contact.
"Household members sharing meals and bedding are very different from people in adjacent stadium seats, even if the time spent nearby is similar," he said.
World Cup host cities also typically hold events outside the matches. They'll have viewing parties, parades and crowded sponsor events. It’s also worth remembering that soccer, especially in the context of nations that live and die with the game, is an emotional affair. The World Cup isn’t a place for social distancing. Fans will cram into vehicles and get shoulder-to-shoulder in bars. Hugs will be shared; people will high-five without reaching for hand sanitizer. There will be cheering and singing and shouting.
That said, health authorities stress that hantavirus does not spread easily in casual settings. The WHO has repeatedly stressed that human‑to‑human transmission of the Andes strain is rare and requires close, sustained exposure, making widespread transmission during brief public encounters unlikely.
The CDC echoed that assessment in its May health advisory, stating that while imported cases are possible, "the risk of broad spread to the United States is considered extremely unlikely at this time."
Most infections occur after people inhale aerosolized particles from rodent droppings, urine or saliva.
Map Shows Cities Hosting Argentina World Cup Games
Argentina's World Cup run is going to kick off on June 16 in Kansas City, Missouri. Health officials from the city said they're monitoring the hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship and noted that the United States sees up to 50 cases each year.
"At this time, the information around the hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship is developing rapidly," Dr. Marvia Jones, Kansas City health director, said in a statement. "The Health Department will keep residents notified of the situation as details become available."
Matches in Kansas City are expected to generate $653 million in economic impact. Hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to come to the area, according to the KC momentum Report.
After playing in Kansas City, Argentina will compete in Dallas, Texas, on June 22. Initial estimates expected a $3.5 billion economic boon for Texas, where a total of 16 games will be played in June and July. However, a little over a month to the games, hotel bookings in Houston and Dallas are falling short of expectations. Ticket prices have been cost-prohibitive for some fans, and some people have had trouble getting travel visas, according to Brent DeRaad, president and CEO of the Arlington Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The matches are likely to be sold out, but experts said it may be driven by locals, rather than international fans. However, that may not be the case with Argentina fans, who let little stop them from supporting their team.
Newsweek reached out to Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas and Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.
If Argentina keeps winning its matches, it would go on to play in Miami, Atlanta and New Jersey.
Dr. Joshua Yukich, associate professor at Tulane University’s School of Public Health, told Newsweek that while negative COVID tests were sometimes needed to travel or attend events, it would be “nearly unimaginable and a massive waste of resources” for cities or the State Department to try to screen visitors. He suggested putting those resources into robust contact tracing and appropriate quarantine and isolation for people who are known to have been exposed or infected.
What Health Officials Are Saying
Despite heightened attention, officials emphasize that the situation is very different from respiratory pandemics like COVID‑19. WHO officials have repeatedly stated that hantavirus spreads "very differently" and does not pose a comparable pandemic risk.
"WHO currently assesses the risk to the global population from this event as low and will continue to monitor the epidemiological situation and update the risk assessment as more information becomes available," Tarik Jašarević, a spokesperson for the WHO, told Newsweek.
Yukich added that he believes it’s unlikely there would be any “meaningful risk” associated with people going to the World Cup or for there to be “large transmission” among fans traveling to the games, since hantavirus is rare.
In Argentina, health authorities have linked the recent rise in cases in part to climate change, which experts say may be expanding rodent habitats and increasing human exposure. Warmer temperatures and ecosystem changes can lead to surges in rodent populations capable of carrying the virus.
For now, health officials don't seem particularly concerned that the World Cup could become a public health crisis. But they've emphasized in their statements that the situation can change and as the world has seen in the past, global travel and mass gatherings can intersect with health threats, raising concerns about a wider spread.
2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
This story was originally published May 12, 2026 at 7:11 AM.