The Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Kash Patel, says the United States recorded no major security incidents throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup, describing the tournament as the largest sporting event ever staged.
Patel made the disclosure in a post on his official X account on Sunday, commending the coordinated efforts of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies that secured the month-long competition.
According to him, the tournament attracted record-breaking attendance and was successfully hosted across the country without any significant 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,” he wrote.
Patel credited President Donald Trump for prioritising security preparations ahead of the tournament, noting that the White House FIFA Task Force was established about 16 months before the competition.
He said the FBI deployed nearly 5,000 personnel from its headquarters, field offices and international offices across the 16 host cities, describing it as the agency’s largest operational deployment for a single event.
“This FBI led the charge, dedicating nearly 5,000 personnel… It’s the largest resource dedication the FBI has ever made for any event,” Patel said.
He added that the bureau set up a Joint Operations Centre, an International Police Coordination Centre and an Intelligence Coordination Centre to coordinate intelligence gathering and real-time information sharing throughout the tournament.
Patel also disclosed that the FBI launched its first counter-unmanned aircraft systems training school for law enforcement ahead of the World Cup and intercepted more than 700 drones that entered restricted airspace around FIFA venues.
“We established the first-ever counter-UAS drone school… We seized over 700 drones near FIFA airspace,” he said.
He noted that security agencies simultaneously managed other major national events, including UFC 250, SAIL 250 and State Fair 250, while ensuring the World Cup concluded without major security incidents.
Patel thanked the White House FIFA Task Force, the Department of Homeland Security, FIFA and other security partners, saying their collaboration ensured a safe and successful tournament.
