The Federal Emergency Management Agency has awarded $250 million to the 11 states hosting FIFA World Cup 2026 matches and to the National Capital Region to secure U.S. skies ahead of the International sports gala.
Recipients can use this money to strengthen their ability to detect, identify, track, or mitigate unmanned aircraft systems, including drones.
The massive funding, through the new Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems Grant Program, aligns with the Trump Administration's initiative to protect the public from hostile drones during mass gathering events, as outlined in the Executive Order on Restoring American Airspace Sovereignty.
In recent years, criminals, terrorists, and hostile foreign actors have intensified their use of drone technology targeting U.S. airspace. With the award of C-UAS Grant Program, along with the new authorities granted in the SAFER SKIES Act, state and local law enforcement agencies now have the tools they need to keep their communities safe. This is especially critical as officials across the country prepare for the United States to host the football World Cup, which is expected to be the largest sporting event in world history.
FIFA World Cup 26, the quadrennial international men's soccer championship, will take place from June 11 to July 19 this year in three countries. It will be jointly hosted by sixteen cities — eleven in the United States, three in Mexico, and two in Canada.
Cities in the U.S. include Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle.
"We knew we needed to act quickly to keep the World Cup safe from the rising threat of unmanned aircraft systems and that's exactly what we did," said FEMA Acting Administrator Karen S. Evans, "This is the fastest non-disaster grant program ever executed by FEMA with funds being awarded just 25 days after the application deadline."
The C-UAS Grant Program was established under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025 and signed into law by President Donald Trump in July 2025. Through this program, DHS is providing $500 million in federal funding over two years to enhance state and local capabilities to combat unmanned aircraft systems.
The first $250 million is awarded to the 11 states hosting FIFA World Cup 2026, as well as to the National Capital Region which is hosting America 250 national events. Next year, the remaining $250 million will be distributed to all U.S. states and territories with an expanded focus on building detection and response capacity nationwide.
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