JAKARTA - The United States authorities have seized more than 300 drones since the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup for violating the rules of prohibited airspace, said the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
"TSA Federal Air Marshal officers, in cooperation with state and federal partners, have seized more than 300 drones during the FIFA World Cup events to date," the agency said on the US social media company X, quoted by Anadolu (25/6).
The TSA further said that flying a drone in a prohibited zone is a federal crime that can result in imprisonment, seizure of the drone, and fines of up to $100,000.
It is known that the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has established a "Drone Ban Zone" around all stadiums, fan events, and team base camps to protect participants and spectators.
On match day, all unauthorized aircraft operations are prohibited within a 3-mile (5.5 kilometers) radius and up to 3,000 feet (914 meters) above ground level around the stadium.
Additional restrictions apply to fan zones, where unauthorized flights are prohibited within a 1-nautical-mile radius and up to 1,000 feet (305 meters) above ground level.
Meanwhile, White House Task Force Executive Director for the FIFA World Cup Andrew Giuliani previously said that security for the tournament was "set up like the Super Bowl" and all 78 matches in the US would be protected by a "UAS mitigation system (unmanned aircraft system)."
To support these efforts, the federal government allocated a $500 million grant program for drone countermeasures to help local law enforcement and established a special FBI training center focused on the technology.
It is known that the 2026 World Cup, which is attended by 48 countries, will be held in the US, Canada and Mexico, with the final match to be held in New Jersey, USA on July 19.
Quoted from The Athletic, US President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend the final match and hand over the trophy to the country that comes out as the champion.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino appearing on "Fox & Friends" on Tuesday morning revealed that President Trump is expected to hand over the FIFA World Cup Trophy to the winner after the final match at Metlife Stadium.
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