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Marrakech – The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel on Tuesday visited the International Center for Police Cooperation (CCPI) in Leesburg, Virginia. The facility coordinates security efforts among law enforcement agencies of the 2026 FIFA World Cup participating nations.
A joint delegation representing Morocco’s General Directorate of National Security (DGSN) and the General Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DGST) attended the visit alongside other international counterparts.
Patel delivered brief remarks welcoming the delegations and commending their operational commitment. He described the cross-border security mobilization as unprecedented, noting the positive results achieved through close coordination among partners ahead of the tournament. He expressed appreciation for what he called a model commitment reflecting the strength and durability of international security partnerships.
With 48 teams, 36 base camps, and 11 stadiums, the World Cup ranks among the largest security operations the FBI has ever undertaken. It is expected to draw 3 million visitors, including heads of state, amid threats ranging from drones, spies, and terrorists to cartels, drunken fans, and pyrotechnics.
In a report published on June 11, the same day the tournament kicked off, Reuters quoted Patel calling it “probably the biggest lift in FBI history, in American history.” He told the wire agency late May he had made the tournament a priority from his first week as director, alongside the Winter Olympics, two Formula One races, and the Super Bowl.
The FBI serves as the lead domestic intelligence agency for the tournament, which the United States co-hosts with Canada and Mexico. The bureau is responsible for conducting 300,000 background checks on players, coaches, and personnel. State and local authorities handle venue perimeter security and assist with counterdrone operations.
Patel identified drones as among the most serious threats to the games, describing them as “one of the biggest ways that people who want to conduct adversarial attacks can effectuate them cheaply and from a distance.” The FBI launched a counterdrone training program in October 2025 and has graduated 70 local police officers across host cities.
The bureau assembled a joint operations center staffed by foreign police from 46 of the 48 participating countries, with Iran and Haiti excluded. The center delivers real-time threat information from participating nations. Patel told Reuters the model drew on a similar center established in Milan during the 2026 Winter Olympics, where US officials coordinated with Italian police.
A separate 78-page FBI and DHS joint threat assessment from May, reviewed by Reuters, details risks nationally and by host city. It covers terrorism, cyberattacks, violent extremism, and threats linked to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
The Virginia visit follows months of direct security engagement between the two countries. In early January, an FBI delegation led by Douglas Olsen, director of field operations, and Kevin Kowalski, deputy director of emergency response, traveled to Morocco during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025.
Over a three-day visit from January 4 to 6, the delegation inspected security operations at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat during the Morocco-Tanzania match.
Officials observed drone surveillance systems, high-definition camera networks, and fixed and mobile command centers. The FBI team also visited the African Center for Security Cooperation, which links Moroccan services with police officers from participating African nations.
The delegation attended a working session evaluating match-day security and reviewed protocols for managing foreign supporter access at Moulay El Hassan Stadium during the Algeria-DR Congo fixture.
FBI officials also reviewed Morocco’s broader policing resources, including intervention vehicles, drone and camera surveillance systems, mounted police, canine teams, explosive detection squads, and riot control units.
The delegation noted how Moroccan authorities balanced tight security with the tournament’s festive atmosphere – operational experience both countries consider relevant as they prepare to host consecutive World Cup editions in 2026 and 2030.
The January mission aimed to identify what the FBI considered distinguishing factors in Morocco’s approach to securing major sporting events. The United States sought to draw on that operational experience ahead of establishing a similar international cooperation center for the World Cup, as required by FIFA.
