From Atlantic City's Sportsbooks to the FIFA World Cup: Egg Harbor Township's Butch Buchanico Lands the Opportunity of a Lifetime

EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP — For years, Anthony "Butch" Buchanico built his career around sports.

The Egg Harbor Township resident worked as a police officer, spent years in Atlantic City's casino sportsbook industry, officiated high school soccer matches and developed a reputation as a sports betting expert who regularly appeared on local radio.

Then came a phone call that changed everything.

Nearly two years later, Buchanico found himself helping oversee security for one of the largest sporting events ever staged — the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

"It all happened that quick," Buchanico said during an appearance on WOND's Off The Press with Scott Cronick. "I can't believe that was about 18 months ago. It seems like I was here with you guys yesterday."

The opportunity began almost by accident.

Buchanico applied for a security position with FIFA in late 2024 but nearly forgot about it after months passed without hearing anything.

"I actually forgot about it," he recalled. "Then I got a call late January asking if I was still interested."

What followed was a series of interviews before FIFA offered him the position.

"They said, 'When are you ready to start?' I said, 'Now.'"

Days later, he was on a plane to Miami for training before eventually becoming part of the security leadership team overseeing matches in Philadelphia.

A Lifetime of Experience Pays Off

Buchanico believes two parts of his background ultimately set him apart.

He previously served as a police officer with several years of counterterrorism experience and also spent more than a decade working around Philadelphia Eagles operations alongside his father.

"I had seven years of counterterrorism background," Buchanico said. "And then, going way back, my father was Big Dom before Big Dom. I was basically my father's right-hand man with the Eagles and the NFL."

Those experiences gave him something many other candidates couldn't offer.

"They told me what pushed me over the top was those two things," he said. "Knowing the stadium inside and out and the counterterrorism background."

His familiarity with Lincoln Financial Field and large-scale sporting events proved invaluable.

"I've basically been at that stadium since the day it opened."

Security on an Unprecedented Scale

The scope of the assignment dwarfed anything Buchanico had experienced before.

Each World Cup match required approximately 1,100 private security officers and another 350 to 400 police officers, meaning roughly 1,500 security personnel were involved for every game.

"I organized the security and the police," Buchanico said.

Managing those resources wasn't always easy.

"Everybody wants security for their area," he explained. "One of the parts of a security manager's job is sometimes you have to say no."

Broadcast operations alone requested more than 30 dedicated security officers.

"I just don't have them," Buchanico recalled telling organizers.

Instead, priorities had to be established while ensuring public safety remained uncompromised.

Despite the enormous logistical challenge, he said the event concluded without any significant security incidents.

"With everything going on geopolitically around the world, we didn't have one major incident."

The only notable disruption involved a handful of spectators running onto the field during a match in Seattle.

"There was no threat," he said. "Just a bunch of goofballs."

A Global Celebration

Working the World Cup also gave Buchanico a front-row seat to an international sporting culture unlike anything he'd experienced.

Fans traveled from virtually every corner of the world.

"We had people from Ghana. We had people from Brazil. We had people from France. We had people from Paraguay," he said.

"And everybody just had a good time."

The atmosphere, he said, was unlike any American sporting event.

"If you've never experienced an international tournament in person, it's second to none."

He described supporters singing continuously before, during and after matches.

"They stay after the game and just sing and sing and sing."

The passion left a lasting impression.

"People look forward to the World Cup four years in advance," he said. "They're remortgaging their houses. They're selling their cars to travel and see their team."

Lessons for American Sports

Buchanico believes American fans could learn something from soccer supporters around the globe.

"I sat there and said to myself, American sports fans should open their eyes."

"These people are showing you that you can have fun at a sporting event."

Unlike many U.S. crowds that celebrate only scoring plays, World Cup supporters remained engaged throughout every minute of action.

"They're constantly singing and cheering."

Even defensive plays generated deafening reactions.

"You'd hear a huge roar and think somebody scored," he said. "It might just have been a great save."

Beware of Ticket Scams

Buchanico also warned fans attending major sporting events to be cautious when buying tickets.

Because World Cup tickets existed only in digital form through FIFA's official app, counterfeit ticket scams became common.

He recalled one case in Atlanta where fans reportedly lost approximately $40,000 purchasing fraudulent tickets.

"They took advantage of their enthusiasm," he said.

His advice is simple.

"If it's too good to be true, it probably is."

He also cautioned fans against purchasing tickets from unofficial resale sites before tickets are even released.

"You're basically buying a future," he said. "There's no guarantee."

What's Next?

Now back home in Egg Harbor Township, Buchanico is taking time to decompress after nearly two years immersed in FIFA operations.

"This is the first time in my adult life that I'm not pressured to hurry up and get back to work," he said.

Still, he isn't planning to retire.

The World Cup experience has opened doors to future opportunities in large-event security, consulting and international sporting events.

He even mentioned the possibility of working with organizers preparing for future World Cups in Spain, Portugal or Saudi Arabia.

"I would throw my hat in the ring," he said.

Cronick believes Buchanico's experience has fundamentally changed his career trajectory.

"You ran security for the biggest tournament in the history of the world," Cronick told him. "That opens a whole other world for you."

Buchanico agrees.

"I'm 60 years old," he said. "I would have never thought at this stage in my life I'd be getting one of the most exciting things in my life to happen to me."

For someone who spent years analyzing point spreads in Atlantic City's sportsbooks, the biggest win of his career came not from placing a bet—but from taking a chance on himself.