Security has been one of the dominant topics of conversation at the 2026 World Cup, and the FBI has now put a number on one of its newer concerns.
With matches spread across the United States, Canada and Mexico against a tense global backdrop, organizers and federal agencies have put heavy emphasis on security planning.
FBI Director Kash Patel has been out in the field during the tournament, and a recent update from Miami — one of 11 American host cities — laid out the scale of the response. The headline figure: more than 400 drones seized near World Cup airspace, with weeks of football still to play.
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Kash Patel reveals the FBI’s World Cup drone numbers
Unmanned aircraft have become a real concern at major sporting events, where a single drone over a packed stadium can halt play or force an evacuation.
With games running across 11 US host cities, federal agencies have treated the airspace around each ground as off-limits.
Patel laid out the operation in a post on X.
He wrote: “On the ground visiting two FBI operations centers for the FIFA World Cup in Miami — one of our 11 host cities within the U.S. where the FBI is among the lead security agencies. Historic success so far. Incredibly, with 40-plus matches to go, the USA has already set a World Cup attendance record, drawing 3.7 million spectators.”
He then turned to the numbers attached to security operations in recent weeks.
Patel added: “FBI has seized over 400 drones near FIFA airspace, has 54 field offices participating nationwide, fully mobilized 59 Homeland Security Task Forces and thousands of dedicated personnel working out of our IPCC in Virginia, our Intel Coordination Center at Headquarters and more.
“Proud of our teams, our LEOs, and all our partners. We are just getting started. More work to be done.”
With the group stage now wrapped up and the knockout rounds running through to the World Cup final on July 19th at MetLife Stadium in New York, there is still plenty of football left to play across the country.
On the FBI’s own count, that drone tally looks set to keep climbing before a winner is crowned.
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