World Cup 2026: RF jamming, hijacked links and drone risks

Cities hosting major events like the FIFA World Cup need to focus beyond traditional security to active and passive wireless threats, say experts. Wireless communications are critical to security systems, OT, and connectivity, and drones have become a growing concern in conflict zones with potential civilian impacts.

During the 2026 World Cup, which will see 16 stadiums across the US, Canada, and Mexico, analysts warn that the RF environment will be one of the most complex cities have ever faced, with hundreds of thousands of people and thousands of devices in close proximity.

Threat actors could hijack or jam C2 signals used by event managers and compromise event systems, while drones—reliant on wireless links and sometimes operating on cellular networks or with onboard AI—pose direct surveillance and disruption risks, claims supported by industry voices and, according to Reuters, current battlefield trends.

To counter these threats, experts advocate layered detection spanning RF, radar, acoustic, and optical methods, and emphasise training personnel to operate in hostile wireless environments ahead of future events.