Trump Administration Launches $500M Counter-Drone Program for 2026 World Cup

The Trump administration is rolling out a $500 million counter-drone security initiative ahead of next summer’s FIFA World Cup, providing state and local governments with funding to detect and disable unauthorized drones over stadiums and major events. The program, funded through the Department of Homeland Security, represents the largest domestic counter-drone deployment in U.S. history, according to Politico.

For drone pilots, this isn’t just about soccer. The initiative could fundamentally reshape who has the power to intercept aircraft nationwide—and it’s forcing a long-stalled debate about expanding local police authority over drones.

Securing 78 World Cup Matches Across 11 U.S. Cities

The funding will be available to all 50 states but prioritized for the 11 U.S. cities hosting 78 of the tournament’s 104 matches starting June 11, 2026. Andrew Giuliani, director of the White House’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Task Force, told Politico that local authorities are demanding this capability.

“Everybody from the governors to different commissioners of the police in these different cities to the stadium chief security officer say that this is something that they need in order to protect the World Cup sites,” Giuliani said in an interview.

The White House Task Force, which coordinates with the National Security Council, DHS, and Department of Justice, meets daily to align federal and local security efforts. FIFA’s Chief Safety and Security Officer G.B. Jones has identified drones as the greatest security challenge for the 39-day tournament.

Legal Battle Over Who Can Take Down Drones

Here’s where it gets complicated for all drone operators. Under current federal law, only the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security have authority to intercept or disable drones in restricted airspace. State and local police can detect and track aircraft—but they can’t touch them.

The House Transportation Committee approved H.R. 8610, the Counter-UAS Authority Security, Safety, and Reauthorization Act, which would create a pilot program giving select local law enforcement agencies counter-drone powers. But the bill has stalled in Congress.

The Trump administration is now exploring contingency plans that would allow the Justice Department to temporarily authorize state and local officials to take down rogue drones if Congress fails to act before the World Cup. That’s a significant expansion of enforcement power that could have lasting implications far beyond soccer stadiums.

Handheld Detection and Jamming Technology Coming to Local Police

Officials envision urban police departments using handheld tools to detect aircraft, then either disabling them via jamming technology or commanding them to return to their points of origin. The $500 million comes from DHS funding allocated under the One Big Beautiful Bill enacted in July 2025.

This is separate from the existing $625 million grant program available to World Cup host cities for general security costs. The new counter-drone funds will also support security for America’s 250th anniversary celebrations in 2026 and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Seb Gorka, the National Security Council’s senior director for counterterrorism, framed the threat in stark terms: “Drones are a disruptive technology. They have an amazing potential for both good and ill. We will increase the enforcement of current laws to deter two types of individuals: evildoers and idiots—the clueless and the careless.”

Part of Broader Trump Drone Security Strategy

The counter-drone initiative builds on President Trump’s June 2025 executive orders that aimed to enhance airspace security while accelerating domestic drone innovation.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has described drones as part of a “weapons-technology revolution,” warning they “are being used to smuggle deadly drugs, target our infrastructure and spy on U.S. defenses.”

More than 30 governors urged Congress in September to pass legislation granting states the same drone mitigation powers as federal agencies. The World Cup deadline is creating urgency around a debate that’s been simmering for years.

DroneXL’s Take

This is the World Cup being weaponized (pun intended) to push through controversial counter-drone authorities that law enforcement has wanted for years. And let’s be clear: they have legitimate concerns. Stadium drone incidents, prison contraband drops, and critical infrastructure overflights are real problems that need real solutions.

But here’s what drone pilots need to understand: once local police get counter-drone powers for the World Cup, those capabilities won’t disappear on July 20, 2026. This sets the template for permanent expansion of who can intercept aircraft—and “critical infrastructure” keeps getting defined more broadly. Your local mall could become a no-fly zone enforced by city cops with jamming equipment.

The $500 million will flow to counter-drone tech companies, likely including major players like Dedrone (now owned by Axon), DroneShield, and others. This is a massive market opportunity for the defense sector, but it’s also a massive expansion of surveillance and interdiction capabilities at the local level.

We’ve consistently supported reasonable security measures at major events. But we’re skeptical when security theater gets used to justify sweeping new powers without clear limits, oversight, or sunset provisions. The World Cup is nine months away. Congress needs to pass thoughtful legislation that protects both public safety and the rights of lawful drone operators—not just rubber-stamp emergency powers that become permanent.

The administration is right that we can’t have drones disrupting the World Cup. But we also can’t have local police departments nationwide gaining the power to jam, disable, or confiscate aircraft without proper training, legal frameworks, and accountability measures. That’s not security—that’s a recipe for abuse and a chilling effect on the entire drone industry.

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