Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Grant Program
FEMA programme that awarded $250m in counter-drone funding to World Cup host states.
Last refreshed: 20 July 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Two federal grant programmes add up to $875m; why has FEMA never published that total?
Timeline for Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Grant Program
Distributed $250m in counter-drone funding to host states
2026 FIFA World Cup: The $875m federal security bill for 2026Background
FEMA's Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Grant Program put $250m into counter-drone capability for World Cup host states, separate from the $625m FIFA World Cup Grant Program. Combined, the two US federal security programmes total $875m, a figure FEMA has never published in one place.
The programme was established under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, signed into law that July, and is run by the Department of Homeland Security through FEMA. It awarded funds within 25 days of the application Deadline, FEMA's fastest non-disaster grant programme, covering the 11 World Cup host states plus the National Capital Region. A further $250m is earmarked for wider national distribution beyond the tournament.
Massachusetts was one of the 11 recipient states, sharing $21.2m between Boston police, Foxborough police and the Massachusetts State Police, on top of the state's separate $46m grant from the main FIFA World Cup Grant Program.