The 2026 FIFA World Cup, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches across 16 cities in the United States, Mexico and Canada, is prompting an unprecedented security mobilization as the tournament approaches next week. The event has received the same federal security designation as the Super Bowl, enabling coordination between federal, state and local agencies.

The Department of Homeland Security estimates up to 7 million people will visit the U.S. for the tournament. Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the World Cup task force, described the security challenge as equivalent to "78 Super Bowls over 39 days." The Federal Emergency Management Agency has distributed $625 million to 11 U.S. host cities to help cover security costs, with an additional $250 million allocated for drone detection and mitigation.

Security officials have identified drones as a primary concern, citing their increased use in recent conflicts including the war in Ukraine and attacks in the Middle East since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. "If there is one threat that keeps me up at night, it is from drones," said New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch. The FBI has developed countermeasures including hunter drones capable of deploying nets to capture unauthorized aircraft.

Artificial intelligence presents another security challenge, with officials concerned about AI-generated videos that could spread misinformation during the tournament. The FBI plans to activate joint operations centers in each host city on match days to monitor and investigate potential threats in real-time.

Security preparations have incorporated lessons from other major events and included simulation exercises in January covering scenarios such as crowd surges, vehicle attacks and mass shootings. Officials say they have not identified any credible threats to date, though some have noted that federal coordination could have begun earlier in the planning process.