An Iran-linked hacking group that previously made headlines for claiming it hacked FBI Director Kash Patel’s email account has threatened security at the 2026 FIFA World Cup—and said it hacked FBI surveillance drones being used around tournament venues.
In a statement attributed to the group, Handala obtained access to “every image and every suspect” captured by the drones, which they said include facial recognition and license plate scanning technology. This footage, the group claimed, goes back “for months.”
“Better tighten your World Cup security, we don't like some of those teams at all,” the group reportedly said. “[First-person view drones] are everywhere; you never know when one might end up right in your team's bus.”
The claims have not been independently verified. SITE disputed some of the material released by Handala, saying one video presented as evidence of the breach was actually produced in December 2024 by a software company promoting technology used by a U.S. police department to survey tornado damage.
