Cities across the United States are preparing to host matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, an event expected to draw millions of visitors from around the world. The events – happening in 11 cities and surrounding regions around the U.S. – have drawn such intense focus on security that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is providing $625 million in federal funding to help host cities strengthen real-time coordination, airspace awareness, and multi-agency preparedness.
But the challenges posed aren’t limited to international tournaments or major metropolitan areas. Concerts, political rallies, college games, county fairs and parades all bring dense crowds, unpredictable conditions and heightened expectations for safety. Any agency that handles crowds with limited staffing and rising expectations has the same need to strengthen security operations, emergency response capabilities and interagency coordination.
“Events today are bigger, riskier and more complex than ever,” said Carlo Capano, former police chief in Manchester, New Hampshire who now supports Axon’s efforts to bring Fusus to public safety agencies nationwide. “You can never prepare enough. You have to take everything into consideration – on the ground or in the air.”
That preparation isn’t just about preventing major crises. Small disruptions – an unattended bag, a panicked crowd, a vehicle blocking an exit – can ripple outward if responders lack shared information. “Communication with everybody, whether it’s just your organization or other organizations that are assisting you, becomes extremely important,” Capano added. Agencies must build plans months in advance, often revising them repeatedly as new information, partners and risks come into play.
In addition to the potential of terrorist attacks and lone wolves, public safety officials have a new concern – threats from unidentified and possibly hostile drones.
The evolving airspace threat
With drones now inexpensive and widely available, almost any event can attract airborne activity. Some operators are hobbyists, but others may be gathering intelligence or attempting to disrupt an event.
In any unauthorized drone event, command staff have to assess questions like:
- Is the drone authorized and low risk, or does it present a potential threat that requires immediate response?
- Where did it originate?
- How should we respond: Investigate discreetly or pause the event and potentially panic the audience?
The NFL experienced more than 2,800 drone incursions into the temporary restricted airspace around its stadiums during the 2024 season – some causing game delays or interruptions.With the World Cup in 2026 and Summer Olympics coming to Los Angeles in 2028, there is new focus on airspace awareness as agencies throughout the U.S. prepare.
Capano noted that unauthorized drones introduce a host of vulnerabilities. A drone hovering above a stadium or parade route can reveal officer positions, security gaps and crowd movement. Newer models can even carry and drop payloads.
“Having drones in your airspace changes everything,” Capano said. “If you’re not prepared to detect and identify who’s flying them, you’re operating with a blind spot.”
Counter-UAS tools such as Dedrone give agencies visibility into the airspace, showing both the drone’s flight path and the operator’s location. With that information, command staff can assess intent and respond appropriately without unnecessary escalation.
Creating a 360-degree operational picture
Modern event safety depends on a complete, real-time view of what’s happening across a venue. That requires more than placing cameras in strategic locations – it means connecting people, platforms and data streams so responders can see and share the same information.
The core of this approach is often a real-time crime center. Many large cities operate physical RTCCs, but Capano emphasized that smaller agencies can benefit as well by using more flexible, mobile platforms.
Tools such as Fusus bring together information from CCTV systems, body-worn cameras, vehicle GPS and officer-activated alerts. Drones provide overhead visibility that ground officers cannot. License plate readers from mobile or fixed platforms help identify vehicles entering and exiting the area. Mobile security trailers extend camera coverage into blind spots. Counterdrone technology identifies threats in the airspace.
“When you start bringing all these signals together, you gain a shared, real-time view of the event that reduces blind spots and helps teams adjust quickly as conditions change,” Capano said. “You know where your officers are, what the crowd is doing, which vehicles are coming in, and what’s happening in the sky.”
Unifying live video, alerts and field data into one view enables command staff to get a full operating picture faster and adjust quickly as conditions shift. Axon’s connected ecosystem, Community Shield, unites these tools into one view, reducing cognitive overload, conflicting information and radio traffic and simplifying decision making.
Taking the real-time crime center into the field
While the quintessential image of a real-time crime center is a large, dedicated room with a wall of screens, in fact, many agencies now use web-based systems that place real-time intelligence in officers’ hands.
“Your RTCC can be on a phone, in a cruiser’s mobile data terminal or on a tablet in a command post,” Capano said. “You don’t need a huge facility to get the benefits.”
During major events like the World Cup, partner agencies will often staff a joint command post, where representatives monitor the same live information and coordinate deployments. If multiple agencies use Fusus, they can share relevant feeds through established agreements.
Interoperability allows everyone – from city police to state and federal partners – to operate from the same picture.
Bridging language barriers in global events
Large events also introduce another challenge: language. Officers may encounter visitors who speak none of the common languages available within their department. That can complicate even routine interactions.
Axon Assistant, a feature on the Axon Body 4 camera, offers real-time translation in roughly 50 languages. It can detect the speaker’s language automatically and translate back and forth through a push-to-talk interface.
This tool isn’t meant for formal interviews. Its value is in helping officers quickly understand and respond during routine interactions or emerging safety concerns.
This will be an invaluable tool in the 11 regions hosting the World Cup. Not just the sporting venues, but airports, hotels, restaurants, public transportation and private rentals will likely encounter thousands of visitors from multiple countries speaking multiple languages.
“When someone hears their own language translated back to them in real time, there’s often a visible sense of relief,” Capano said. “It helps build trust in a situation that could otherwise escalate through misunderstanding.”
Scalable solutions for agencies of all sizes
While the World Cup draws attention to major host cities, the underlying challenges apply everywhere. Small agencies often manage events that draw crowds far larger than their typical daily activity.
“There’s no difference between a drone flying over a small town or a big city,” Capano said. “Every agency needs to understand what’s happening in their airspace and on the ground.”
Community Shield packages are designed to scale from rural departments serving fairs and parades to urban agencies managing multiday, multivenue events. Smaller departments may deploy fewer sensors, but the value of centralized visibility and mobile command access remains the same.
A long-term investment in safer communities
Though event preparation drives many of these conversations, the technology doesn’t turn off when crowds leave. Agencies continue using real-time tools for everyday calls like searching for missing children or vulnerable adults, reconstructing traffic crashes, monitoring critical infrastructure, supporting patrol with situational awareness and addressing local quality-of-life concerns.
“Lights go off after an event, but the systems stay on,” said Capano. “That’s where communities really see the long-term benefit.”
Readiness for anything
Major events now require agencies to prepare for complex, dynamic threats on the ground and in the air. But with connected tools, unified command and early planning, agencies can give officers the awareness and communication needed to keep people safe.
“At the end of the day, everyone wants the same thing – people come in, enjoy the event and go home safely,” said Capano. “That starts with giving agencies the visibility and coordination they need to manage complex events and carry those capabilities into everyday operations.”
By investing now, agencies not only prepare for the World Cup – they strengthen the foundations of public safety for years to come.
For more information, visit Axon.
