Meet the FBI-trained drone warriors who will guard the skies at the World Cup
The FBI has established a National Counter-UAS Training Center in Huntsville, Alabama, to prepare law enforcement for drone threats during the 2026 World Cup. Local authorities from 11 host cities have undergone hands-on training to detect, track, and mitigate unauthorized drones. The U.S. government has allocated $250 million this year, with specific funding directed to states like Texas, New York, and New Jersey to protect venues and large gatherings.
- ▪The FBI opened a National Counter-UAS Training Center in Huntsville, Alabama, to train local law enforcement in drone detection and mitigation.
- ▪Sixty personnel from each of the 11 World Cup host cities have completed a two-week counter-drone training program.
- ▪New York and New Jersey received $17 million in federal funds to secure MetLife Stadium and fan events, including the World Cup final.
- ▪Texas received $3.2 million to counter unauthorized drone activity during matches in Dallas and Houston.
- ▪The 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump involved a drone, highlighting gaps in current detection systems and prompting increased counter-drone investments.
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Politics Meet the FBI-trained drone warriors who will guard the skies at the World Cup By Geoff Earle Published May 17, 2026, 6:00 a.m. ET Team USA is getting ready to defend its goal against swarming World Cup attackers on the field next month – while Team Fed is deputizing local authorities to fend off swarms of potentially deadly drones in the sky. The US has appropriated $250 million this year to battle “nefarious and unlawful” drone use. “Drones are a big threat now. I think they take it very seriously,” said Rep. Robert Aderholdt (R-Alabama), a House Appropriations subcommittee chairman. 4 Federal officials are increasingly focused on the threat posed by drones to large events – and training law enforcement how to counter them. “It’s a big deal.
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