White House to Drop $500M on Securing Airspace Above Stadiums

With the 2026 FIFA World Cup fast approaching, the White House is turning its attention to the airspace above with plans for a $500 million drone program. This is aimed at helping state and local governments counter potential drone threats and keep pace with ever-advancing aviation technology.

The effort centers on safeguarding airspace over the 104 soccer matches scheduled across the United States next summer. The funds, drawn from the Department of Homeland Security’s budget under Trump’s recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill, will equip police departments with handheld detection and jamming tools designed to spot and disable unauthorized drones. Officials say the move is an attempt to get ahead of one of the most unpredictable threats to large-scale public gatherings.

Andrew Giuliani, who heads the White House’s FIFA World Cup 2026 Task Force, said the funding has been a long time coming: “Everybody from the governors to the police commissioners to the stadium chief security officers say this is something they need.”

Extending the authority to intercept or disable drones, even temporarily, is a far cry from existing regulations that put federal agencies in charge. Many now argue that, without broader authority, response times at major venues could lag and turn a small threat into a disaster before anyone has a chance to react.

“Drones are a disruptive technology. They have an amazing potential for both good and ill,” added Seb Gorka, the National Security Council’s Senior Director for Counterterrorism. “We will increase the enforcement of current laws to deter two types of individuals: evildoers and idiots — the clueless and the careless.”

The program will also coincide with other major events, including the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026 and the Los Angeles Olympics two years later. Guidance for states on how to apply for funding is expected soon, with a minimum allocation guaranteed to every state, despite not all hosting matches.

FMI: www.whitehouse.gov