Iran-linked group says FBI drone breach threatens World Cup

A hacker group with connections to Iran has claimed it breached FBI drone systems and issued a threat against the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to a report from a monitoring group released on Friday, June 12. The tournament, which began on Thursday, June 11, is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The group, known as Handala, stated in a release published by the SITE Intelligence Group that it had gained control of every image and suspect captured for months by first-person view drones used by the FBI for counterterrorism, alleging the drones used facial recognition and license plate screening. The group warned World Cup organizers to tighten security, stating, "Better tighten your World Cup security, we don't like some of those teams at all. Don't forget FPVs are everywhere you never know when one might end up right in your team's bus." To support its claim, Handala released photos and videos it said were from the hacked drones, though SITE disputed the authenticity of at least one video, suggesting it was promotional material from 2024.

The FBI has deployed drones around host stadiums and fan events in the United States as part of extensive...