The National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), and other American professional sports leagues could soon receive some much-needed support to counter a spike in drone incursions.
The U.S. House on Wednesday voted 312-112 to pass the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which contains a little-known but consequential provision called the Safer Skies Act.
The measure would extend the authority to intercept or take down rogue drones—reserved for a handful of federal enforcement agencies—to state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments. It comes as the U.S. prepares to host the FIFA World Cup and America250 celebration in 2026 and the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028.
Such large gatherings have become prime targets for unauthorized drones. Cathy Lanier, the NFL’s chief of security who testified on the issue to Congress last December, said the league experienced 2,845 drone incursions into the FAA temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) around its stadiums during the 2023 season. That figure was 2,537 the season prior.
“Robust airspace security will help mitigate credible threats and keep Americans and global visitors safe as they enjoy these world-class sporting events,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told ESPN.
Drone Disruptions
Since the FAA’s Part 107 regulations for small uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS) took effect in 2016, the agency has registered more than 800,000 drones and certified more than 450,000 remote pilots. And with more drones in the sky, there is more opportunity for misuse.
In 2024, for example, reports of mysterious drone sightings in New Jersey stirred up paranoia, with state and local officials begging for federal assistance. According to the FAA, FBI, and Department of Homeland Security (DHS), most sightings were legal drones, aircraft, or even birds that were misidentified. But officials did say there were a few credible sightings of rogue drones over military installations.
The small aircraft have arguably posed a larger issue for public gatherings, such as concerts and sporting events. The NFL told ESPN it has recorded more than 2,000 drone incursions into stadium TFRs in each of the past three seasons. Some have even halted primetime Thursday Night Football and playoff games.
Stadium TFRs typically bar drones from flying below 3,000 feet within 3 nm of a stadium within one hour of the event’s scheduled start and end time. Some events, such as Saturday’s Army-Navy NCAA football game at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, have more extensive or specific restrictions.
Through agreements with the NFL, MLB, and other leagues, the FAA developed a Sporting Event Automated Monitoring System (SEAMS) to inform flyers when and where these TFRs are in place. SEAMS data is publicly available and updated with weather delays, cancellations, overtime periods, and other information.
Despite all of these mitigations, a problem remains—only federal law enforcement is allowed to intercept drones, and the FBI and DHS are only onsite for large events such as the Super Bowl. Lanier said in a 2023 interview that of 121,000 requests for FBI or DHS counter-drone support to stadiums and other venues since 2018, only 77 were approved.
“Our national security and intelligence agencies continue to warn that terrorist groups and other bad non-state actors consider stadiums and other mass gatherings attractive targets for attack,” Lanier said in her testimony last December. “In fact, earlier this year, Islamic State propaganda specifically encouraged attacks on stadiums, including referencing the Paris Summer Olympics.”
The NFL, MLB, and other leagues previously backed a bill introduced in February—the Disabling Enemy Flight Entry and Neutralizing Suspect Equipment (DEFENSE) Act—that would give SLTT governments the same permissions as federal law enforcement. With the Safer Skies Act, they may get them.
Safer Skies
Per the 2026 NDAA, the Safer Skies act would allow SLTT actors to take actions “that are necessary to mitigate a credible threat that an unmanned aircraft system or unmanned aircraft poses to the safety or security of people, facilities, and assets.”
State, local, tribal, and territorial law enforcement and correctional officers would be trained and certified through a “national schoolhouse,” which would serve as the “sole certifying authority” for counter-UAS permissions.
If passed, the Attorney General would have 180 days to develop those training and certification procedures. In cases where the drone’s operator is uncooperative or can’t be reached, more complex interception methods involve shooting the drone down or capturing it with a net.
Certified SLTT governments would be required to buy technology from a list approved and maintained by multiple federal agencies, including the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, Defense, and Transportation. The framework is similar to the military’s use of “cleared” drones on the Blue UAS list.
Many state and local law enforcement agencies have turned to DJI and other Chinese manufacturers for public safety drones, which are often far cheaper than American-made alternatives. However, Safer Skies would allow federal grant money to be used to procure counter-UAS systems—as well as drones themselves, for public safety purposes.
In addition, the bill proposes harsher penalties for UAS violations, such as delivering contraband to prisons. SLTT governments that conduct counter-UAS operations without coordinating with federal partners would also face fines up to $100,000 and stand to lose their authority.
If it makes it into the NDAA, the Safer Skies Act would take effect just months before the 2026 FIFA World Cup. According to ESPN, World Cup matches are not among those expected to have federal counter-UAS support.
However, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in October launched a $500 million C-UAS grant program. In November, the White House Task Force on the World Cup met with hundreds of stakeholders to discuss how that funding could be used. Later that month, the Washington National Guard hosted a C-UAS summit in preparation for the event, including a simulated drone attack on Seattle’s Lumen Field.
