FBI Director Kash Patel Outlines Massive Security Operation for 2026 World Cup

FBI Director Kash Patel, speaking in a mid-flight interview in late May aboard the bureau's Gulfstream jet, characterized the 2026 World Cup as presenting one of the biggest security lifts in FBI and American history. The tournament will feature 48 teams, 36 base camps, and 11 stadiums across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with an anticipated 3 million visitors including heads of state, alongside threats ranging from drones and spies to terrorists, cartels, and unruly fans. The FBI is the lead domestic intelligence agency and is responsible for 300,000 background checks of players, coaches, and personnel, while state and local authorities handle venue security and counterdrone measures. In response to drone threats identified as a primary concern, the FBI launched a counterdrone training program in October 2025 that has already graduated 70 local police officers in host cities. The FBI has also established a joint operations center with foreign police from 46 of the 48 participating countries to share real-time threat intelligence, modeled after a similar center created in Milan for the 2026 Winter Olympics. A 78-page FBI and DHS joint threat assessment reviewed by Reuters details specific threats to each host city and notes that President Trump's attendance at matches will complicate security efforts.