By Naveen Athrappully
The federal government will invest $100.3 million to enhance public transportation in cities hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Department of Transportation’s (DOT’s) Federal Transit Administration said in a March 3 statement.
The funds will go into “public transit systems within host cities preparing to welcome millions of fans,” the department said. “The funding will ensure communities can expand transit options to meet increased demand in services around stadiums.”
DOT and local transit agencies “will help fans get to the games safely and on time,” it said.
The World Cup, scheduled for June 11 to July 19, will be hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
In the United States, games are scheduled in 11 locations—Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City-New Jersey, Philadelphia, Seattle, and the San Francisco Bay Area.
The more than $100 million in funds will be used to support matches and other public events held at U.S. host cities, with grants based on stadium capacity and the number of matches in each city.
Once the funds are disbursed, transit agencies are required to obligate the money within one fiscal year of the close of the World Cup, the department said.
“DOT is doing its part to ensure the United States is ready to host the most spectacular World Cup in history,” Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said.
“We’re proud to partner with host cities to provide fans with a seamless travel experience that will be part of the memories they cherish from attending these historic games.”
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has also set aside funds for states hosting the World Cup to enhance security. In December 2025, the agency awarded $250 million to 11 states for anti-drone efforts.
The funds were granted under the Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) Grant Program set up under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was signed into law by President Donald Trump in July.
“Recipients can use this money to strengthen their ability to detect, identify, track, or mitigate unmanned aircraft systems,” the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said.
“In recent years, criminals, terrorists, and hostile foreign actors have intensified their use of this technology.
“With today’s C-UAS Grant Program award—along with the new authorities granted in the SAFER SKIES Act—state and local law enforcement agencies now have the tools they need to keep their communities safe.”
Improving Security
Security is a key concern for the World Cup. With hundreds of thousands of fans set to attend the games, the event could present major challenges.
Lora Ries, director of the Border Security and Immigration Center at The Heritage Foundation, told The Epoch Times that whenever there are large gatherings of people from all across the world, nefarious individuals can “slip through.”
Terrorists or individuals intending to overstay their travel visas could simply lie on their applications, Ries said.
“So that’s why we’ve got to have so much scrutiny on the visa applications and continue to monitor and vet people when they do get a visa granted up until the time that they show up at our airports or other ports and onward, if appropriate,” Ries said.
In late January, agencies involved in the World Cup met for a two-day security summit in Colorado Springs, according to a Jan. 22 statement from the White House Task Force for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Attendees included representatives from the 11 U.S. host cities, the FBI, the Department of War, FEMA, the Department of Justice, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. During the summit, participants discussed how they would handle hypothetical scenarios based on realistic threats that could occur during matches, the statement said.
“Thanks to President Trump’s vision, we are entering a new American era of sports and global events,” said Andrew Giuliani, executive director of the White House Task Force on the FIFA World Cup 2026. “The World Cup will lay the groundwork for future mega events.”
In a March 3 post on X, the Department of Justice said it was working with state, local, and private partners to ensure the security of World Cup games and the localities near each match.
Chris Summers contributed to this report.
