U.S. agencies intercept over 2,700 drones during 2026 FIFA World Cup

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said security teams brought down nearly 2,000 drones and confiscated roughly 700 over the course of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The drones were intercepted in no‑fly zones that extended three miles and 3,000 feet around stadiums and one mile and 1,000 feet around fan festivals.

The FBI reported seizing more than 700 illegal drones after detecting about 1,600 attempts to enter restricted airspace surrounding the 11 World Cup venues. The agency highlighted the deployment of a counter‑UAS training school and cutting‑edge detection technology, emphasizing that the effort represented the most comprehensive airspace security operation in U.S. history.

Together, the two agencies accounted for the interception or seizure of roughly 2,700 drones, reflecting an unprecedented drone mitigation effort for a major sporting event.