New $1B FEMA Funding for World Cup 2026 & Drone Detection: Apply Now

In Part 1 and Part 2, we covered the foundations of finding and applying for grants. Today, we have an urgent and significant update. On October 28, 2025, FEMA officially announced over $1 billion in new federal funding to secure the 2026 FIFA World Cup and protect against drone threats.

The agency has published the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Notices of Funding Opportunity for two massive new programs: the FIFA World Cup Grant Program and the Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) Grant Program. Both programs were established under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, 2025.

This is a game-changing opportunity, especially for law enforcement and public safety agencies in and around the World Cup host locations.

DEADLINE ALERT: The application period is extremely short.

Applications for both the FY 2026 C-UAS Grant Program and the FY 2026 FIFA World Cup Grant Program opened on October 28, 2025, and will close on December 5, 2025.

Let's break down each program.

1. The FIFA World Cup Grant Program ($625 Million)

This program is designed to directly support the 11 metropolitan areas hosting matches.

• Who is it for? The 11 cities hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup games. These cities are:
  • Atlanta
  • Boston
  • Dallas
  • Houston
  • Kansas City
  • Los Angeles
  • Miami
  • New York/New Jersey
  • Philadelphia
  • San Francisco Bay Area
  • Seattle
• How much? $625 million.
• What does it fund? This grant is for critical security preparations. This includes training and exercises, staff background checks, cybersecurity defense, and increased police and emergency response for FIFA venues, hotels, and transportation hubs.

How this applies to you: Protecting stadiums and large public gatherings from aerial threats is a core component of any major event's security plan. This grant provides an excellent opportunity to fund a comprehensive C-UAS program—using fixed systems for stadiums or mobile units for flexible deployment at venues, hotels, and transit hubs.

This investment extends far beyond 2026. Once the event concludes, these drone detection units can be repurposed to provide long-term, permanent protection for your community's critical infrastructure, public spaces, and correctional facilities.

2. The Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) Grant Program ($500 Million)

This is the most direct federal funding stream for drone detection technology we have seen to date. This $500 million program will be distributed over two fiscal years. Its specific goal is to help communities "aggressively combat the unlawful use of unmanned aircraft systems".

This program is being rolled out in two phases:

Phase 1: FY 2026 ($250 Million)

• Who is it for? This initial $250 million will be awarded to the states and the National Capital Region that are hosting FIFA World Cup 2026 and America 250 national events.
• What does it fund? This money is earmarked specifically to combat unlawful drone use and expand detection and response capabilities for these major 2026 events.

Phase 2: FY 2027 ($250 Million)

• Who is it for? The remaining $250 million will be distributed to all 56 states and territories.
• What does it fund? This phase will expand the C-UAS initiative nationwide, with an "expanded focus on building national detection and response capacity".

How this applies to you: This grant is tailor-made to fund the procurement of C-UAS systems like Airsight. If you are in one of the states hosting the 2026 events, your immediate priority is the FY 2026 application. If you are in another state, this is your notice to begin preparing for the FY 2027 application.

A Quick Clarification: 11 Cities vs. Host States

You will see both "cities" and "states" in the FEMA announcements, and it's important to know the difference.

• 11 CITIES refers to the direct recipients of the $625M FIFA World Cup Grant Program.
• HOST STATES (plus the NCR) refers to the priority recipients of the initial $250M C-UAS Grant Program (Phase 1).

These are two separate grants with different, though related, eligible recipients.

What to Do Next (Immediately)

With a deadline of December 5, 2025, there is no time to waste.

1. Visit the Source: Go directly to FEMA's website and Grants.gov. Review the official Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for both programs. The official press release (HQ-25-092) was released on October 28, 2025.
2. Contact Your SAA: Your State Administrative Agency (SAA) is your primary point of contact for managing and applying for these funds. Engage them immediately.
3. Define Your Project: A strong application requires a clear plan. Define your C-UAS operational needs, justify the request as part of the World Cup or public safety mission, and get an accurate cost analysis.
4. Contact Airsight: We are here to help. Our team can provide the technical specifications, system quotes, and supporting documentation you need to build a compelling and complete grant application. We are experienced in the federal grant process and are ready to assist you in securing this critical funding.