Mullin reveals DHS brought down nearly 2,000 drones during World Cup security efforts

Federal authorities became truthful adept astatine hunting down drones during the FIFA World Cup that immoderate drones were intercepted earlier operators could region them from cars, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin revealed this week. He said information teams brought down astir 2,000 drones complete nan people of nan tournament.

"We sewage truthful bully astatine [intercepting them], we started being capable to bring them down earlier they moreover sewage retired of nan trunk of a car," Mullin said Monday connected "The Will Cain Show."

"We started being capable to admit wherever they're at."

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Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin speaks during a news convention to talk predetermination information up of nan midterms. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

Many of nan drones belonged to spectators hoping for a bird's-eye position of nan matches. But Mullin said others raised much superior concerns, pinch authorities believing immoderate operators were intentionally probing information perimeters astir stadiums and instrumentality festivals.

"Some of them we felt for illustration was existent a threat, that they were testing nan perimeter. Those are immoderate of nan drones that we confiscated," he said.

"Some were licensed individuals that knew better, but they were trying to push it. We besides confiscated those, but I deliberation group were trying to spot wherever our perimeters was aliases what our expertise was."

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino (right) pinch President Donald Trump arsenic Spain lifts nan FIFA World Cup trophy aft nan last lucifer astatine New York New Jersey Stadium connected July 19, 2026, successful East Rutherford, N.J. (Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)

Mullin said authorities had "technology dialed in" to nan constituent that information teams were capable to find operators earlier galore drones ever took flight, moreover arsenic operators launched drones from extracurricular nan established perimeter.

According to Mullin, nan established no-fly zones extended 3 miles and 3,000 feet astir stadiums, on pinch one-mile and 1,000-foot restrictions surrounding FIFA Fan Festivals. Security teams averaged much than 30 intercepted drones per match, he said, not including further incidents astir instrumentality festivals and aft games concluded.

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Per Mullin's estimates, authorities confiscated astir 700 drones and brought down astir 2,000.

But rogue drones weren't nan only threat authorities faced during nan tournament. Mullin besides disclosed that federal, authorities and section officials thwarted what he described arsenic 1 imminent threat targeting a World Cup Fan Fest.

"I can't springiness you nan location of it, but nan threat was astir utilizing vehicles," he told Cain.

"It was specifically towards a instrumentality fest and, fortunately enough, we were capable to person coordination pinch national partnerships."