In brief
Handala asserts it had months of access to FBI FPV drones fitted with facial recognition and licence plate readers, capturing images and suspect data.
The group warned that teams could not know when a drone might land in their bus, urging organisers to tighten tournament security.
SITE Intelligence Group found that a video presented as proof was actually a 2024 promotional clip for police drone technology used after a tornado.
Handala cites the February US-Israeli strike on an Iranian school, which reportedly killed over 175 people, as the motive for its cyber campaign.
- 28 FebUS-Israeli strike on an Iranian school reportedly kills more than 175 people, triggering Middle East war.
- March 2026Handala claims to hack FBI Director Kash Patel's email account and posts personal photos online.
- 11 JunThe 2026 FIFA World Cup begins, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
- 12 JunHandala announces it has accessed FBI FPV drones for months and threatens World Cup teams.
The threat from Handala
On 12 June 2026, the Iran-linked hacker collective Handala published a statement claiming it had compromised FPV (First Person View) drones operated by the FBI. The group declared it had held access “for months” and could intercept “every image and every suspect” captured by the drones, which are equipped with facial recognition and automatic license-plate readers. Handala delivered its message through the SITE Intelligence Group, a private firm that monitors jihadist online activity.
“Better reinforce the security of your World Cup. We really don't like some of those teams. Don't forget: FPVs are everywhere; you never know when one might land right in your team bus.”
FBI drones and World Cup security
The FBI is deploying drones around the American stadiums hosting the tournament to defend against unauthorised aircraft. Drone flights are banned over all US venues and over fan events connected to the championship, which is co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. The 48-team competition began on 11 June.
SITE casts doubt on evidence
Handala released photos and videos that it said were taken from the hacked drones. SITE, however, challenged the authenticity of the material. According to the monitoring firm, one of the videos was produced by a software platform in December 2024 to illustrate how a US police department used drone-based technology to assess tornado damage.
Previous hacks and US retaliation context
The group previously claimed responsibility for a March 2026 breach of the personal email account of FBI Director Kash Patel, posting personal photos and other content online. Handala has framed its cyber operations as retaliation for the 28 February US-Israeli attack on an Iranian school, which according to unverified Iranian reports killed more than 175 people and triggered the broader Middle East war. The US State Department is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the identification of Handala members.
Federal response and outstanding questions
The Department of Justice had already issued warnings about potential Iranian cyberattacks after the February strikes. No US agency has yet confirmed Handala’s drone-hacking claim, and the FBI has not commented on the alleged breach. The group’s threat arrives while federal law enforcement is already managing an extensive aerial-security perimeter across multiple American cities.