Drones, lone wolf attacks top FBI concerns as World Cup security ramps up across 11 US cities

The whistle that blew Thursday marked the start of what officials call the largest sporting event the US has ever hosted — and the most complex security challenge to match.

With millions of international fans expected to flood 11 host cities for 78 matches, plus countless fan zones and related gatherings, local and federal law enforcement are facing a sprawling operation. The Department of Homeland Security has described it as a “zero-fail mission,” and the FBI is bracing for threats that range from cheap, modified drones to lone-wolf attackers who may strike without warning.

Andrew Giuliani, tapped to lead the White House task force on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, said there is currently no known threat to the games. Still, he acknowledged the enormity of the task: “This will truly be the largest sporting event the world has ever hosted.”

Security planning is already underway across multiple agencies. DHS will handle the bulk of counter-drone operations, with the FBI leading in three of the 11 cities. The bureau has trained 60 police officers at its Redstone Arsenal facility in Alabama through a new program focused on detecting and stopping drones that violate airspace restrictions.

But the technology is evolving fast. Conflicts abroad — particularly in Ukraine and the Middle East — have accelerated drone capabilities, with Iran and its proxy groups using them effectively against commercial shipping and military assets. That progress doesn’t stop at the border.

“Unfortunately, people can do a lot of damage with some pretty basic technology,” said John Villasenor, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. “We’re helped by the fact that the fraction of people who would actually do this is tiny. It’s not zero though, that’s the challenge.”

The type of military-grade drones used in war zones are unlikely to be deployed inside the US, law enforcement officials said. The greater concern is smaller, commercially available drones armed with explosives or chemical payloads — devices that rely on radio frequencies and can often be jammed or taken down remotely. Fiber-optic drones, which bypass radio jamming, present a harder problem.

Michael Torphy, the assistant section chief leading the FBI’s counter-drone training, said the bureau has “protected every Super Bowl since 2019” from drone incursions. “We’ve done this before. We’re going to do it again.”

Local police are also investing heavily. The NYPD alone has spent $6.5 million on drone-mitigation equipment for the World Cup, according to Commissioner Jessica Tisch. “It would be a mistake to ignore the technology as it exists and how it’s being used across the world,” she said.

Beyond drones, lone-wolf attacks remain the top concern for officials. Because such plots are often hatched in isolation, detection is difficult. The responsibility falls heavily on local police who must patrol and secure large public areas. Command posts will be set up across the country to allow real-time communication between local and federal authorities during the 40-day tournament.

Officials also worry about crowd violence, especially among passionate fans. After Game 3 of the NBA Finals in New York, attendees clashed despite a heavy security presence. Similar incidents are common during global soccer matches, and security planners are mindful of the risk.

Joint FBI-DHS threat assessments have specifically warned about Iran’s participation in the tournament and the potential for clashes between diaspora fans and security forces, particularly in Los Angeles. Bulletins also flagged the possibility of terrorist activity, targeted violence, mass casualty incidents, transnational crime, cyber-attacks and foreign intelligence operations.

“These concerns stem from several converging trends: intensified rhetoric from foreign terrorist organizations targeting large-scale events, heightened violence at mass protests within the Homeland, and escalating geopolitical tensions,” according to the assessment.

Artificial intelligence is another growing worry. Deepfake videos could be created quickly to sow panic among fans, and officials are preparing for that threat.

Beyond US borders, Mexico — which will host five matches in three cities — is deploying nearly 100,000 security personnel as it contends with powerful cartels and high street crime. “There are very large networks of piracy, human trafficking, prostitution, obviously drug dealing, and some extortion,” said Víctor Manuel Sánchez Valdés, a researcher at the Autonomous University of Coahuila. “But it’s also the area of the country with the highest per capita police presence and security cameras, which gives it a different crime profile.”

CNN’s Kara Scannell and Josh Campbell contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com