The Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Kash Patel, announced that the United States recorded no major security incidents throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which he described as the largest sporting event in history.
In a statement shared via his official X account on Sunday, Patel commended the coordinated efforts of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in ensuring the safety of the tournament. He noted that the competition broke attendance records and was successfully staged across multiple U.S. cities without any significant security breaches.
“The 2026 FIFA World Cup was the largest sporting event in history, shattering previous attendance records. America delivered—ZERO major security incidents across our nation while hosting the equivalent of 78 Super Bowls in 38 days, along with 40 base camps, countless fan zones, and celebrations in nearly every state,” Patel wrote.
Patel credited President Donald Trump for prioritizing security preparations, highlighting the establishment of the White House FIFA Task Force 16 months before the tournament.
He revealed that the FBI deployed nearly 5,000 personnel from headquarters, field offices, and international offices across the 16 host cities—its largest-ever resource commitment for a single event. To support operations, the bureau set up a Joint Operations Centre, an International Police Coordination Centre, and an Intelligence Coordination Centre to enable real-time intelligence sharing.
Additionally, Patel disclosed that the FBI launched the first counter-unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) training school for law enforcement ahead of the World Cup. Authorities seized more than 700 drones that entered restricted airspace around FIFA venues.
Beyond the World Cup, security agencies also managed other major national events held during the same period, including UFC 250, SAIL 250, and State Fair 250.
Patel concluded by acknowledging the leadership of President Trump and the contributions of federal partners, FIFA, the Department of Homeland Security, and the White House FIFA Task Force led by Andrew Giuliani.
