ABSTRACT
This essay follows up on an article published in Soccer & Society prior to the 2018 World Cup in Russia. There it was argued that this edition of the World Cup served as particularly interesting for the academic field focussed on sport-mega events (SMEs) and 'security', because of its uniquely securitized climate. Written immediately after the 2018 World Cup, the present essay reflects upon the event's 'security' and mega-event security more broadly, it revisits some 'security-related' episodes. Then, special attention will be given the media discourse vis-à-vis 'hooliganism'. The essay argues that the media discourse took an unorthodox 'turn' with regard to English 'hooligans', who, compared to past events, were portrayed as being 'in risk'-rather than being the group generating 'the risk' of football-related violence and public disorder.
