At least 15 drones have already been seized for flying around near Atlanta’s stadium for the World Cup, FBI officials announced.
The bureau has banned all drones around the stadium due to potential threats, and has said there are no exceptions for photographers or hobbyists, per Dronelife. People caught flying drones in restricted areas could face fines up to $100,000 and even potential federal charges.
“Unsafe and improper use of a drone or other UAS poses a physical hazard to other aircraft and individuals on the ground and can violate federal law,” FBI Atlanta said in a press release.
The FBI put a strict no drone policy in place ahead of the World Cup due to the security risks they could pose, and has put up temporary flight restrictions around several World Cup-hosting cities.
Atlanta is hosting its first World Cup match Monday between Spain and Capo Verde. It is one of 11 U.S. cities hosting a total of 78 matches in the three-country-wide World Cup.
FBI Director Kash Patel has said that drones pose a major threat to the World Cup (Getty)
Video released by 11Alive shows agents in tactical gear confiscating drones that were flying in no-go areas. Congress has also granted officers the ability to shoot drones down if they are deemed to be a threat, however agents are much more likely to dismantle them electronically due to the damage that could be caused from a falling drone.
“The war in Ukraine has become a real-world testing ground for drone technology, and if there is one threat that keeps me up at night, it is from drones,” New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch said.
An FBI assistant director Devin Kowalski told the Associated Press that the agency is treating every drone “as if it’s something that could hurt people, and we’re aggressively locating its operator and conducting the logical investigation to determine the nature of the situation as well as to hold that person accountable.”
FBI director Kash Patel has described the event as “a huge lift, probably the biggest lift in FBI history, in American history.”
The FBI has been concentrating on drones as a significant threat for several months, launching a counterdrone training program for local police officers in October 2025. Seventy officers have graduated from that program to work in World Cup host cities to date.
However, Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin testified before the House Homeland Security Committee on Wednesday, admitting, ”On the counter-drone measures, everybody’s a little behind.”
“Drones are my biggest concern. … Every single day, we improve,” he added. “But that is a huge concern that we have.”
Cabo Verde faces Spain on June 15 in the first game at Atlanta’s Mercedes Benz Stadium (Getty)
During Patel’s tenure as FBI director, there has been one presidential assassination attempt, a firebombing at a Jewish gathering in Colorado and the murder of political pundit Charlie Kirk.
Patel also fired a team of Iran intelligence experts, per CNN reporting, prior to the U.S. launching strikes on Iran. There are current fears that protesters of the Iran regime could cause damage at Iran World Cup matches.
The FBI is encouraging drone owners to check for active flight restrictions using an FAA-approved B4UFLY service provider before flying their craft. The agency is providing free airspace awareness tools to educate people on restricted airspace, and other advisories based on the operator’s location.
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