FEMA Announces Over $1 Billion in Federal Funding to Secure the FIFA World Cup Games and Protect Americans

FEMA Issues FY 2026 Funding Opportunities for FIFA World Cup and Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Grant Programs

WASHINGTON -- Today, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) published the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Notices of Funding Opportunity for the Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) Grant Program and the FIFA World Cup Grant Program. Through the FIFA World Cup Grant Program, FEMA will provide $625 million to the 11 cities hosting games in 2026. Host cities can use this money to carry out critical security preparations and activities like training and exercises, staff background checks and cybersecurity defense, as well as increased police and emergency response for FIFA venues, hotels and transportation hubs.

"Nothing is more important to President Trump than protecting the American people," said a FEMA spokesperson. "The 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to be the largest sporting event in history, so it must also be the safest. That's why DHS is already working with host cities to ensure players, staff and attendees are safe from all threats, including terrorist activities and criminal use of drones. By providing federal funding to state and local communities through carefully crafted grant programs, we are ensuring that taxpayer money is spent responsibly on projects that deliver real safety and security for all Americans."

In addition to the FIFA World Cup Grant Program, DHS also announced the funding opportunity for the new C-UAS Grant Program, which will provide $500 million to communities across the country over two fiscal years. States can use this funding to aggressively combat the unlawful use of unmanned aircraft systems-also known as "drones"-that endanger the safety, security and lives of the American people. In FY 2026, DHS will award $250 million to nine states and the National Capital Region hosting FIFA World Cup 2026 and America 250 national events. The remaining $250 million will be distributed in FY 2027 to all 56 states and territories with an expanded focus on building national detection and response capacity.

Both the FIFA World Cup Grant Program and the C-UAS Grant Program were established under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, 2025 (Pub. L. 119-21) and signed into law by President Trump in July 2025.

The FY 2026 C-UAS Grant Program and FY 2026 FIFA World Cup Grant Program application periods open on October 28, 2025, and will close on December 5, 2025.