US invests in counter-drone tech to protect FIFA World Cup venues

VIDEO SHOWS: FILE FOOTAGE OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF ANTI-DRONE TECHNOLOGY – USED ONLY AS EXAMPLES AS IT IS NOT CLEAR WHAT TECHNOLOGIES THE UNITED STATES INTENDS TO USE AT THE 2026 WORLD CUP / U.S. PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP IN THE OVAL OFFICE WITH FIFA PRESIDENT GIANNI INFANTINO  RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT SHOWS: HAMBURG, GERMANY (FILE – SEPTEMBER 26, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all) 1. DRONE IN AIR SHOOTING OFF NET TO CATCH SMALLER DRONE, CAUGHT DRONE DANGLING IN NET – USED AS AN EXAMPLE AS IT IS NOT CLEAR WHAT TECHNOLOGY THE UNITED STATES INTENDS TO USE AHEAD OF THE 2026 WORLD CUP 2. VARIOUS OF ROBOT RESEMBLING INSECT AND THE SIZE OF A CAT APPROACHING CAUGHT DRONE LYING IN GRASS, ROBOT’S CAMERA EYES INSPECTING IT 3. GERMAN SOLDIER OPERATING ANTI-DRONE TOOL  4. ANOTHER DRONE IN AIR BEING CAUGHT WITH NET WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (FILE – AUGUST 22, 2025) (UNRESTRICTED POOL – Access all) 5. FIFA PRESIDENT, GIANNI INFANTINO, HANDING U.S. PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP, LARGE COPY OF MATCH TICKET IN THE OVAL OFFICE  6. INFANTINO HANDING WORLD CUP TROPHY TO TRUMP / TRUMP HOLDING TROPHY / INFANTINO AND TRUMP TALKING  EAST RUTHERLAND, NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES (FILE – JULY 13, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all) 7. EXTERIOR OF METLIFE STADIUM WITH CARS ENTERING AHEAD OF CLUB WORLD CUP FINAL BETWEEN PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN AND CHELSEA – METLIFE STADIUM WILL ALSO HOST 2026 WORLD CUP FINAL 8. PARKING ATTENDANT WAVING CARS ON 9. SNIFFER DOG CHECKING EMERGENCY VEHICLES BEFORE THEY ENTER STADIUM 10. SECURITY OFFICERS INSPECTING EMERGENCY VEHICLES 11. SECRET SERVICE AGENT HELPING CHECK VEHICLES 12. POLICE WITH SNIFFER DOG CHECKING CAR 13. BACK OF SECRET SERVICE AGENT’S UNIFORM 14. SECRET SERVICE AND OTHER SECURITY OFFICERS 15. SNIFFER DOG 16. VARIOUS OF WORKERS, VOLUNTEERS AND JOURNALISTS GOING THROUGH SCREENING AREA WITH SECRET SERVICE HELPING OTHER AGENCIES 17. SECRET SERVICE ASKING SOMEONE TO LEAVE LINE FOR THEIR BAGS TO BE INSPECTED BY SNIFFER DOG 18. SCREENING AREA WITH SECRET SERVICE HELPING OTHER AGENCIES 19. U.S. FLAG FLYING ON STADIUM GROUNDS 20. VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF METLIFE STADIUM 21. VARIOUS OF POLICE OUTSIDE STADIUM 22. VARIOUS OF POLICE WALKING AROUND STADIUM 23. VARIOUS OF POLICE AND SECRET SERVICE AGENTS AT CHECKPOINT WHERE FANS WILL BE SCREENED WHEN GATES OPEN  ERDING, GERMANY (FILE – DECEMBER 4, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all) 24. DRONE CAPABLE OF LOCALISING JAMMERS OR OTHER DRONE PILOTS MADE BY NETHERLANDS-BASED “DREMIAN” AI DRONE SYSTEMS LIFTING OFF – USED AS AN EXAMPLE AS IT IS NOT CLEAR WHAT TECHNOLOGY THE UNITED STATES INTENDS TO USE AHEAD OF THE 2026 WORLD CUP 25. VARIOUS OF DREMIAN FOUNDER, YURA KRIACHKO, FLYING DRONE 26. DRONE FLYING 27. SCREEN 28. DRONE LANDING 29. DRONE FLYING IN AIR 30. CONFETTI-TYPE SUBSTANCE RELEASED FROM CYBERDOME FIRECRACKER-TYPE MINI LAUNCH PAD  VILLACOUBLAY, FRANCE (FILE – MARCH 14, 2024) (REUTERS – Access all) 31. DRONE IN FLIGHT DURING SECURITY DEMONSTRATION AHEAD OF 2024 PARIS OLYMPICS – USED AS AN EXAMPLE AS IT IS NOT CLEAR WHAT TECHNOLOGY THE UNITED STATES INTENDS TO USE AHEAD OF THE 2026 WORLD CUP 32. DRONE ON READY FOR TAKE OFF 33. DRONE IN AIR 34. DRONE IN AIR AS PART OF A DEMONSTRATION AHEAD OF 2024 PARIS OLYMPICS STORY: The U.S. will invest $115 million in counter-drone measures to bolster security around the FIFA World Cup and America’s 250th Anniversary celebrations, the Department of Homeland Security said on Monday (January 12), the latest sign of governments stepping up drone defenses.     The FIFA World Cup will be a major test of President Donald Trump’s pledge to keep the U.S. secure, with over a million travelers expected to visit for the tournament and billions more watching matches from overseas.     The threat of drone attacks has become a growing concern since the war in Ukraine has demonstrated their lethal capabilities. And recent drone incidents have worried both European and U.S. airports.     “We are entering a new era to defend our air superiority to protect our borders and the interior of the United States,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement.     Defense companies are developing a range of technologies aimed at countering drones, including tracking software, lasers, microwaves and autonomous machine guns. The DHS did not specify which technologies it would deploy to World Cup venues.     The announcement comes weeks after the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which sits under DHS, said it granted $250 million to 11 states hosting World Cup matches to buy counter-drone technologies.     Last summer, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, called on Trump, a Republican, to bolster federal support for defending against drone attacks. (Production: Kurt Michael Hall)

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