The Director of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Kash Patel, says the country recorded no major security incidents during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, describing the tournament as the largest sporting event in history.
Mr Patel disclosed this in a post on his official X handle on Sunday, commending the coordinated efforts of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies for ensuring the successful security of the competition.
According to the FBI director, the 2026 FIFA World Cup broke previous attendance records and was hosted across the United States without any major security breach.
“The 2026 FIFA World Cup was the largest sporting event in the history of the world, shattering the previous attendance record by double digits. America—we got it done, ZERO major security incidents across our nation while we hosted the equivalent of 78 Super Bowls in 38 days, along with 40 base camps, endless fan zones, and celebrations in nearly every state,” Patel wrote.
Trump praised for security preparations
Mr Patel credited President Donald Trump for prioritising security ahead of the tournament, noting that the White House FIFA Task Force was established about 16 months before the competition began.
“President Trump promised his administration would deliver the safest, most secure, and fun environment for FIFA. He started by establishing the White House FIFA Task Force some 16 months ago, and we got right to work,” he said.
FBI deployed nearly 5,000 personnel
The FBI chief revealed that the bureau assigned nearly 5,000 personnel from its headquarters, field offices and international offices across the 16 host cities, describing it as the agency’s largest-ever deployment for a single event.
“This FBI led the charge, dedicating nearly 5,000 personnel to the effort out of HQ, field and international offices across 16 host cities. None of what we accomplished is possible without our federal, state and local partners who all put in the same relentless effort. It’s the largest resource dedication the FBI has EVER made for any event,” Patel stated.
Drones intercepted, intelligence centres established
Mr Patel said the FBI established a Joint Operations Centre, an International Police Coordination Centre, and an Intelligence Coordination Centre to support real-time intelligence gathering and information sharing throughout the tournament.
He also disclosed that the bureau created the first-ever counter-unmanned aircraft systems (counter-UAS) training school for law enforcement officers before the World Cup.
According to him, authorities intercepted and seized more than 700 drones that entered restricted airspace around FIFA venues.
“We established the first-ever counter-UAS drone school, training members of law enforcement from across the country for the World Cup. We seized over 700 drones near FIFA airspace,” he said.
Security extended beyond the World Cup
Mr Patel added that security agencies simultaneously managed several other major national events, including UFC 250, SAIL 250, and State Fair 250, while ensuring the World Cup concluded without major incidents.
He thanked President Trump, the Department of Homeland Security, the White House FIFA Task Force, its Director Andrew Giuliani, FIFA and other security partners for their collaboration throughout the tournament.
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