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The Florida Legislature approved 16 million dollars for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) allocated exclusively for drone detection equipment and radio frequency signals, in preparation for the seven matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup that will be held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
According to a report by Local 10, the approval occurred in a matter of minutes during a budget hearing in Tallahassee, and the funds are not intended for operating drones, but for identifying them.
"Detecting radio frequency signals to identify drones, illegal drones," explained the project leaders before the state legislature.
The matches in Miami are scheduled from June 15 to July 18, 2026, making South Florida one of the epicenters of the tournament.
At the federal level, Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart provided the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Department with additional funds to enhance security during the event.
Public investment in security for the World Cup in Florida exceeds 80 million dollars when combining all the funds approved at the state and federal levels.
Miami-Dade, the host county, committed between 38 million and 46 million, allocated for public safety services such as police and paramedics.
Not everyone agrees with the level of spending. Some critics point out that revenue projections far exceed the money invested, and that the economic return justifies the outlay. The authorities, for their part, insist that security is non-negotiable.
"The revenue projections are much higher than the money we are investing," said Miami-Dade Commissioner Oliver Gilbert.
The local context also plays a role in these decisions. The chaos experienced during the final of the 2024 Copa América in Miami provided clear lessons on the need for more rigorous planning for events of this scale.
Regarding airspace, the FAA declared all World Cup stadiums as drone exclusion zones, with fines that can reach up to $100,000 for those who violate the rules during the matches.
"Even if you are an experienced remote pilot or have a standard airspace authorization, you are not allowed to fly during the active restriction windows surrounding World Cup events," warns the FAA on its official website.
In addition to fines, offenders risk immediate confiscation of the drone by the FBI, federal criminal charges, and immediate arrest.
The FBI is authorized to use specialized mitigation tools to intercept and confiscate any unauthorized drone detected in restricted airspace.
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