ABOARD FBI JET, June 11 - With 48 teams, 36 base camps and 11 stadiums, the World Cup, which kicks off on Thursday, is one of the biggest security challenges the FBI has ever faced.

That's before you account for 3 million visitors, including heads of state, not to mention threats from drones, spies, terrorists, drunken fans, cartels or pyrotechnics.

"It's a huge lift, probably the biggest lift in FBI history, in American history," said FBI Director Kash Patel in a mid-flight interview aboard the bureau's Gulfstream jet.

In a wide-ranging interview in late May, as Patel flew from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland to Dallas to speak at a law enforcement conference, he talked about the agency's extensive preparation for the world's biggest sporting event amid controversies and regular reports that he may soon be fired.

Patel, 46, became FBI director in February 2025 and has presided over several major investigations already, including the murder of Charlie Kirk. But he said there has been no challenge quite like major sporting events, where terror and other threats run high.

"Literally the first week in office when I got to the FBI I said we have to prepare for the Olympics, the World Cup, two Formula One races and the Super Bowl," he said. The FBI, along with the Department of Homeland Security, was ultimately responsible for protecting the event, "not just here but overseas," he added.

The FBI is the lead domestic U.S. intelligence agency for the World Cup, which the country is co-hosting with Canada and Mexico, but it is also relying on state and local law enforcement. The FBI is responsible for doing 300,000 background checks of players, coaches and personnel, while state and local authorities will be charged with security outside the venues and will help with counterdrone measures.

DRONE SCHOOL

Drones are one of the biggest threats to the games and host cities, he said. The FBI launched a counterdrone training program in October 2025, and has so far gr...