The security plan for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is working: more than 500 drones intercepted
Authorities are successfully protecting the restricted airspace over host cities from security threats posed by drones.
A drone flies over a stadium during a sporting event. File photo
The security deployment for the 2026 World Cup is yielding positive results. Authorities confirmed the detection and interception of more than 500 drones flying over the protected airspace of the 11 host cities of the sporting event.
Incursions by these devices were and continue to be one of the top concerns for security forces, as reflected in the contingency plan and protocols established by agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the FBI, among others, before the 2026 World Cup began.
The FBI confirmed the seizure of more than 500 drones in the protected airspace of each of the World Cup host cities.
"Due to unprecedented law enforcement coordination, this FBI and our DHS partners have seized over 500 drones from restricted airspace across all 11 U.S. host cities since the start of the FIFA World Cup tournament," the federal agency reported via a post on social media.
Chris Raia, deputy assistant director of the FBI, said that the goal of this anti-drone mission is to protect "fans, players and critical infrastructure from accidents and security threats."
So far, the security protocol implemented for the 2026 World Cup is proving effective. To date, there has been only one incident: a shooting near a fan zone in San José, California which left one person dead and several others injured.
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