FIFA and federal law enforcement agencies said securing the skies over World Cup stadiums is a priority. President Donald Trump’s administration is backing that up with a plan to spend $500 million to stop potential drone threats during next summer’s tournament.
Where is the drone security money coming from?
The White House said the money from the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) budget will be available to all 50 states to help mitigate the effects of unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS. Still, the majority of funds will be focused on the 78 soccer matches that will be played in American stadiums starting on June 11, 2026.
Andrew Giuliani, director of the White House’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Task Force, told Politico the use of drones over sporting events and other gatherings is a growing problem.
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“Everybody from the governors to different commissioners of the police in these different cities to the stadium chief security officer say that this is something that they need in order to protect the [World Cup] sites,” Giuliani said.
What law enforcement agencies can disable drones?
Currently, only federal law enforcement agencies can intercept or disable drones. Lawmakers have introduced several bills in recent years to grant local agencies this power, but none have passed. The government shutdown has also stalled progress on the most current legislation.
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Eleven U.S. cities will host a combined 78 of the 104 matches during the 2026 World Cup. Mexico and Canada will host 13 matches each.
The Trump Administration is exploring plans to temporarily hand that power to state and local officials for the World Cup and other major events. If that happens, police departments and other local agencies could use handheld tools to detect aircraft, and either disable them via jamming technology or order them to return to their points of origin.
FIFA Chief Safety and Security Officer G.B. Jones asked the House Homeland Security Committee for help with the operational mandates last month.
“DHS, FBI, the FAA, and the state, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement partners who will partner with them during the FIFA World Cup matches must be equipped with the resources and legal frameworks necessary to mitigate drone threats across all venues where airspace security risks are identified,” Jones said. “This includes matches, FIFA fan training sites, and other large outdoor gatherings where drone threats may compromise safety and security.”
What has President Trump said about World Cup security?
The Trump Administration continues to work with FIFA on tournament security. Asked in September what he thought of crime in cities like Seattle and San Francisco, the president warned that he would move matches away from host cities he deems to be dangerous.
“If any city we think is going to be even a little bit dangerous for the World Cup, or for the (2028) Olympics, you know where they have Olympic overthrow right, but for the World Cup in particular, because they’re playing in so many cities, we won’t allow it,” Trump said. “We’ll move it around a little bit. But I hope that’s not going to happen.”
Trump’s mention of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles points to its importance, more than three years away. Voviette Morgan, head of safety and security at LA28, echoed the same message on drones in front of the House committee.
“The persistent threat of unmanned aircraft systems has surged in recent years to make the detection and mitigation of drones one of the overarching concerns for any sporting event,” Morgan said.
The $500 million in drone security funds from DHS are in addition to the $625 million grant program that will reimburse World Cup host cities for security costs related to the tournament. States and local organizing committees will soon receive guidance from the DHS on how to apply for the drone security funds.
