Iran-Linked Group Claims Access to FBI Drones, Threatens 2026 World Cup

An Iran-linked hacker group called Handala claimed it had accessed FBI first-person view drones for months and threatened to target the 2026 World Cup, according to a statement published Friday by the SITE Intelligence Group. Handala said it obtained "every image and every suspect" captured by the drones, which it described as equipped with facial recognition and license plate screening for counterterrorism operations.

The group published photos and footage it said came from the hacked drones.

SITE disputed the authenticity of the material. U.S. police department's use of the technology for surveying tornado damage.

The statement included a direct warning about the World Cup. "Better tighten your World Cup security, we don't like some of those teams at all. Don't forget: FPVs are everywhere; you never know when one might end up right in your team's bus," Handala said.

The tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, kicked off on Thursday. U.S. venues hosting matches and related fan events.

Training for local and state police on countering unauthorized drone activity formed part of a $500 million federal grant. -Israeli strikes on Tehran in February that triggered the Middle East War. Handala previously claimed in March to have hacked the email account of FBI Director Kash Patel and published personal photos and other material online.

U.S. State Department has offered a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification of Handala members.