World Cup as the biggest security challenge for the FBI

With 48 teams, 36 base camps and 11 stadiums, the World Cup, which kicked off yesterday, is one of the biggest security challenges the FBI has ever faced.

And that's before factoring in the three million visitors, including heads of state, as well as threats from drones, spies, terrorists, drunken fans, cartels or pyrotechnics.

"It's a huge undertaking, probably the largest in the history of the FBI, in American history," FBI Director Kesh Patel told Reuters during a flight on a Gulfstream jet owned by the bureau.

In a wide-ranging interview in late May, as Patel flew from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland to Dallas, where he was scheduled to speak at a law enforcement conference, he spoke about the agency's extensive preparations for the world's biggest sporting event, amid controversy and regular reports that he could soon be fired.

Patel, 46, became FBI director in February 2025 and has already overseen several major investigations, including the murder of Charlie Kirk. But he said no challenge compares to major sporting events, where the risk of terrorist and other threats is high.

"Literally the first week I came to the FBI, I said we had to prepare for the Olympics, the World Cup, two Formula One races and the Super Bowl," he said. The FBI, along with the Department of Homeland Security, is ultimately responsible for securing events, "not just here but abroad," he added.

The FBI is the lead domestic U.S. intelligence agency for the World Cup, which the United States is hosting alongside Canada and Mexico, but it is also relying on state and local law enforcement. The FBI is responsible for 300.000 security checks on players, coaches and staff, while state and local authorities will be responsible for security outside the venues and help with anti-drone measures.

Anti-drone training

Drones are one of the biggest threats to the games and host cities, he said. The FBI launched a counter-drone training program in October 2025, and so far 70 local police officers in US host cities have completed it.

Drones are "one of the easiest ways for those who want to carry out hostile attacks to do so cheaply and from a distance, with little planning," Patel said.

The FBI has also formed a joint operations center of foreign police forces from 46 of the 48 participating countries, excluding Iran and Haiti, to receive real-time information about threats from those countries.

That model, he said, is similar to the joint operations center established in Milan for the 2026 Winter Olympics, where U.S. officials coordinated with Italian police to ensure the safety of American visitors and athletes.

In Milan, Patel was also seen celebrating with the US hockey team after they won the gold medal - singing, splashing beer in the locker room and putting President Donald Trump on speakerphone. This has drawn criticism, with some critics claiming that the Olympic trip was at taxpayer expense.

This came amid multiple media reports of alleged excessive drinking, which Patel and the FBI vehemently denied. Patel sued The Atlantic magazine for what he claims was false reporting.

Patel says the trip to Milan was key preparation for the World Cup.

"We learned a lot in Milan," he said.

Threat assessment

Reuters has seen a joint FBI-Department of Homeland Security threat assessment for the World Cup, a 78-page document that shows how complex the task of securing the tournament is. It details a host of threats nationally as well as those specific to each host city and base camp, along with recommendations for local law enforcement in all 11 U.S. World Cup host cities.

The assessment states that Trump's presence at the games will further complicate security efforts, and points to an increased threat to law enforcement and facility security if someone mistakenly identifies them as National Guard or ICE immigration agents.

"Recent conflicts in the Middle East, such as the one with Iran, have resonated among some violent extremists in the United States and some perpetrators of hate crimes, and could further intensify anti-American, anti-Israel, anti-Semitic, or anti-Muslim grievances," the assessment said.

The assessment specifically raises concerns about Iran's two group stage matches at SoFi Stadium, near Los Angeles, including possible violent protests by fans of the team or opponents of the Iranian government.

Patel said Iran was responsible for a cyberattack on the Los Angeles subway system in March that brought parts of the system to a halt. The pro-Iranian group Ababil from Minab claimed responsibility for the attack.

Investigation into frequent flights

Patel has faced criticism from Democrats in Congress for his use of government aircraft, and lawmakers have asked the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct an investigation.

Patel says the charges are unfair. By law, he cannot fly commercial flights and must reimburse the FBI for private travel expenses.

According to responses provided by the FBI to the GAO, Patel took fewer private flights than his two predecessors and, as required, reimbursed the government for the expenses.

The investigation is still ongoing and is expected to be completed next year, a GAO spokesman told Reuters.