Federal, state and local officials on Friday offered a glimpse at the yearslong public safety preparations they’ve been making ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup games set to begin this week.
During a press conference, officials from multiple agencies outlined the broad strokes of their public safety strategy, which included a cybersecurity strike force and substantial anti-drone investments.
The international soccer event will stretch from June 11 until July 19, drawing in what are expected to be massive crowds to stadiums in both Santa Clara and Los Angeles.
California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Director Caroline Thomas Jacobs noted that in addition to substantial public-facing preparations, the coalition of state, federal and local partners also include a strong cybersecurity response team.
“Large international events can present heightened cyber risks, and California has invested significantly in strengthening cybersecurity, coordination and information sharing to support host jurisdictions and critical infrastructure partners,” the director said.
As the event approaches, CalOES will increase its posture throughout the more than monthlong event, activating approximately 100 cyber-focused personnel at the state’s operations center. In addition, the office will deploy emergency management personnel to assist localities and operate the state Joint Information Center.
As for where technology more physically intersects with public safety threats, the Transportation Security Administration's federal security director at Los Angeles International Airport, Jason Pantages, said significant investments have been made in counter-unmanned aerial systems (CUAS) operations around stadiums and regional fan events.
Those events, Pantages said, are considered special event assessment rating one and two events, warranting agency support from across the federal government — such as the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Secret Service, Customs and Border Protection and others.
“FEMA has awarded $846 million in grants to enhance security for the 11 host cities, including more than $221 million specifically allocated for CUAS to help protect host cities and events against drone threats,” Pantages said.
Cyber, Anti-Drone Defense Round Out FIFA World Cup Prep
Multiple federal, state and local agencies painted a broad-stroke image of the preparations they've been making ahead of this week's FIFA World Cup matches in Los Angeles and Santa Clara. Like the recent Super Bowl, technology is playing a large role in the public safety push.
