A gruesome propaganda image tied to an Islamic State-aligned outlet is casting a shadow over Pope Leo XIV’s upcoming trip to Spain, showing the Chicago-born pontiff bloodied and clutching a soccer ball while his public dates and stadium stops are called out.
The pro-ISIS publication’s poster brands the visit as “two-faced,” with a decaying papal figure, a FIFA-style soccer ball and the Spanish tagline “UNA VISITA DE 2 CARAS,” alongside the words “Soon on June 11,” as reported by IBTimes UK. The image carries the logo of the Al-Iman Media Center and layers stadium silhouettes next to Spain’s Sagrada Família and Madrid’s Bernabéu, visually tying the threat to both soccer venues and iconic Catholic landmarks.
The Holy See’s press office has released a provisional itinerary showing Pope Leo will be in Spain from June 6 to 12, with public events in Madrid and Barcelona followed by Masses in the Canary Islands, according to the Vatican’s bulletin. That schedule puts him in Gran Canaria on June 11, the same date splashed across the propaganda poster.
The U.S. Embassy in Spain has put out guidance for American citizens planning to attend papal events, ABC7 Chicago reports. Spanish media and security sources say authorities were already gearing up for a major security operation around the visit, with some outlets reporting that more than 13,000 officers could be deployed for the public gatherings, as noted by IBTimes UK. Officials stress that online propaganda like this is treated as a signal to monitor, not automatic proof that an attack is being actively planned.
Why the World Cup image matters
The poster’s heavy use of football imagery appears timed to line up with the opening of the FIFA World Cup on June 11, when stadiums and global attention are already amped up. Security analysts note that major sporting events pack together crowds, critical infrastructure and live media coverage, making them tempting stages for extremist messaging, according to an analysis by CSIS. FIFA’s 2026 tournament officially kicks off June 11 in North America, which helps explain why imagery that fuses stadiums with a high-profile papal visit can spread fast and gain traction, per FIFA.
Local ties: A hometown pope
There is a strong Chicago thread running through all of this. Pope Leo, born Robert Prevost and raised on the city’s South Side, has become a hometown figure whose sudden global profile has drawn intense attention, as covered in Dolton erupts as native becomes pope. That spotlight has already had very real consequences: earlier this spring an anonymous bomb threat at the home of one of his brothers triggered a police sweep of the block, another episode documented by bomb scare at his brother's home.
For now, the Vatican is keeping the Spain schedule intact, and Spanish authorities say they will continue watching online channels and adjusting security as needed, Zenit reports. Pilgrims and other travelers are being urged to follow directions from local police and stay on top of any alerts from the U.S. Embassy in Spain as the papal visit and World Cup opening draw closer.
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