By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON, July 6 (Reuters) – U.S. agencies have seized over 600 drones near FIFA World Cup venues and fan zones since the start of the tournament on June 11, the Transportation Security Administration said on Monday.
On match days, all aircraft operations, including drones, are prohibited within a radius of three nautical miles and up to 3,000 feet (914 meters) above ground level around the stadiums unless specifically authorized by air traffic controllers. The FBI said drones have been seized from restricted airspace across all 11 U.S. host cities.
The FBI said that 130 drones had been seized in Miami alone, and over 70 in Dallas during five matches.
The Federal Aviation Administration has barred drones from flying over matches and related fan gatherings across the United States.
At fan gatherings, drones are barred within a one-nautical-mile radius and up to 1,000 feet above ground level.
Drone operators who enter restricted airspace without approval can face fines of up to $100,000, along with criminal charges and confiscation of their drone, the FBI said. The FBI has teams stationed around World Cup stadiums to detect and disable unauthorized drones.
Cristobal Torres Alvarez, a 40-year-old Mexican national, was charged last week with flying a drone in restricted airspace around Dallas Stadium ahead of a match.
In 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to bolster U.S. defenses against threatening drones, and the Homeland Security Department has installed new counter-drone defense systems at the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas.
There have been numerous drone incidents in prior years over major U.S. sporting events.
In 2025, a man pleaded guilty after he was charged with violating defense airspace by flying a drone over a National Football League playoff game in Baltimore.
(Reporting by David Shepardson Editing by Bill Berkrot)
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