Security is expected to be strengthened as the US strengthens preparations for the 2026 World Cup
U.S. authorities are preparing for the FIFA World Cup with billions of dollars in security measures, drone protection and strict stadium inspection measures.
Federal authorities have seized more than 700 drones flying over or near World Cup venues, many of them using high-tech jamming devices to force pilots to backtrack.
More than 350 pilots have been fined or prosecuted for violating strict federal flight restrictions, the FBI and Department of Transportation told USA TODAY.
The effort to secure the World Cup was the largest private anti-drone effort in U.S. history, and the software used to manage the effort at 11 venues cost taxpayers about $500 million, federal officials said.
Inexpensive consumer drones are often used for reporting and photography, but are also sometimes deployed for attacks. The U.S. military is investing billions of dollars in new anti-drone technology amid the war in Ukraine, where fighter jets are blasting tanks, people and infrastructure with cheap, explosive-laden drones.
Officials said many of the drones intercepted near World Cup venues were flown by people who did not understand the regulations or operational requirements and simply wanted to watch the games. Some people intentionally try to push the boundaries. Homeland Security officials said they detected more than 1,500 drones during the crackdown, including hundreds that were spotted before they took off.
“We don’t have the luxury of taking a chance and saying, ‘Well, this is not a criminal purpose, it’s probably for a slightly more nefarious purpose,'” FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement. “If you’re in that space, we’ll take you down.”
Drone operators who violate the restrictions face fines of up to $10,000 and possible criminal prosecution. The Department of Homeland Security, FBI, and Federal Aviation Administration jointly intercepted a drone at the World Cup event, which drew an estimated 6.8 million fans.
Federal officials say the areas with the most World Cup-related drone crackdowns are Miami, Houston, Atlanta and Dallas. Some drone operators are facing criminal charges, and all 357 operators arrested by federal authorities have been fined, according to the FBI.
In late June, four Texans were charged with flying drones in areas subject to Houston’s temporary drone flight restrictions. In late June, the FBI announced that a Mexican man who flew a small drone near AT&T Stadium in Dallas during a qualifying game could face up to three years in prison.
Multiple counter-drone technologies were deployed at the World Cup sites, from radar and camera systems scanning the sky to systems made by Utah-based Fortem Technologies. The company’s autonomous drones shoot webs at intruding drones. Most of the flying drones intercepted at World Cup events were backtracked by federal agents who first intercepted the drones and then dispatched teams following signals to the operators, officials said.
His agency, Transport Secretary Sean Duffy, said in a statement: “We are proud to help FIFA fans get to games safely and on time.”
