Colorado Springs is hosting the '11 Cities Summit' this week at Hotel Polaris, organized by the U.S. Northern Command to prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. More than 200 participants from federal agencies, FIFA, and host cities are convening to coordinate security and support plans. The event underscores the tournament's scale, with 104 matches across three nations expected to draw over 5 million fans.
The two-day '11 Cities Summit' began on Tuesday at Hotel Polaris, near the north entrance of the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Hosted by the U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM), the gathering supports the White House Task Force (WHTF) on the FIFA World Cup and involves representatives from the WHTF, FIFA, the 11 U.S. host cities, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Defense, Department of Justice/FBI, and Department of Health and Human Services.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup men's soccer tournament will feature 104 matches from June 11 to July 19 across 16 cities in the United States, Mexico, and Canada—the first time hosted by three nations. In his opening remarks, WHTF Executive Director Andrew Giuliani highlighted the event's magnitude: "We are less than 150 days from the largest sporting event in history." He noted that 800 million people watched the draw, far surpassing Super Bowl viewership of 100-150 million.
Gen. Gregory Guillot, commander of NORAD and USNORTHCOM, explained the summit's purpose: to "establish a shared understanding of host city plans, federal capabilities and the processes for requesting and providing federal support to ensure the safe and successful execution of the World Cup matches."
DHS leads security design and implementation for U.S. matches, with USNORTHCOM providing support upon request. The first day included remarks from Guillot and Giuliani, followed by interagency briefings. Wednesday's sessions feature exercises on two hypothetical scenarios.
Giuliani emphasized the shift to execution: "We are now in the execution phase." He addressed safety goals, including reduced visa wait times to two months for Argentina and two weeks for Brazil, ensuring thorough vetting for visitors.
Miami-Dade County Sheriff Rosanna Cordero-Stutz discussed lessons from last year's Copa América security issues, where 54 arrests followed fans rushing a stadium. "We learned some tough lessons with Copa but what happened was kind of a blessing in disguise," she said, stressing improved intelligence and local-federal relationships.
The random selection draw entry closed Tuesday, with over 5 million fans anticipated. Giuliani affirmed: "Our commitment is simple: we will do everything in our power to make these games, this tremendous World Cup, a safe and successful one."
Separately, DHS announced a $115 million investment in counter-drone technologies for World Cup venues and the nation's 250th anniversary, addressing growing drone threats. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem stated: "We are entering a new era to defend our air superiority."
FEMA also granted $250 million to 11 host states for similar tech.
