The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Monday that it is investing $115 million into drone and counter-drone technologies in anticipation of the 2026 World Cup (FIFA 2026).
That investment is being overseen by the new DHS Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aircraft Systems and Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems. The office is dedicated to rapidly procuring and deploying drone and counter-drone technologies that can outpace evolving threats and tactics, DHS said in its announcement, which cited increases in drone technology exploits by malicious actors.
“Drones represent the new frontier of American air superiority,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. “This [office] will help us continue to secure the border and cripple the cartels, protect our infrastructure, and keep Americans safe as they attend festivities and events during a historic year of America’s 250th birthday and FIFA 2026.”
The investment aims to procure drone technologies to secure venues celebrating America’s 250th birthday and hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is being held across eleven states.
The World Cup is scheduled to begin on June 11, and is hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States. U.S. cities hosting the tournament include Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Mo., Los Angeles, Miami, New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Seattle.
The new funding follows similar investments from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which awarded $250 million late last month to the District of Columbia and the 11 states that are hosting World Cup matches.
Those grants were made available under a new FEMA-run counter-drone grant program established by the One Big Beautiful Bill passed last summer.
DHS also wants to secure a $1.5 billion contract with the counter-drone industry to support its immigration enforcement officials working in Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The investments are part of the Trump administration’s push to bolster drone capabilities. The Federal Communications Commission recently posted to X that “President [Donald] Trump is unleashing drone dominance,” while announcing the launch of dozens of American drones by the Las Vegas Police Department.