FirstNet Delivers Public Safety Connectivity Across FIFA World Cup 2026
US Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network Supported First Responders in Every Host City Throughout the Largest Single-Sport Event in History, FirstNet Authority Confirms
The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) has confirmed that FirstNet, the United States' Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network, underpinned public safety communications throughout FIFA World Cup 2026, supporting first responders across host cities from the tournament's opening match on 11 June through its conclusion this summer.
In a blog post published 21 July 2026, Jeremy Zollo, Deputy Executive Director of the FirstNet Authority, set out how the network supported agencies tasked with keeping millions of fans, players, and surrounding communities safe during what the organisation describes as the largest single-sport event in history.
According to the FirstNet Authority, planning for the tournament's communications demands began years in advance. FirstNet Authority personnel worked directly with public safety agencies in host cities to prepare for the scale of the event, which extended well beyond stadium perimeters to fan festivals, watch parties, media centres, team base camps, and surrounding business districts. That preparatory work included mapping where first responders would be deployed during matches, assessing broadband requirements, forecasting zones of heavy network demand, and coordinating with network operator AT&T to ensure sufficient capacity was in place ahead of the opening fixture.
Support continued throughout the tournament itself, with FirstNet Authority staff embedded in every host city, at AT&T's FirstNet Network Operations Center, and within the national Special Event Coordination Center. Operating alongside emergency managers and public safety personnel on the ground, FirstNet Authority representatives shared operational best practice and helped resolve issues in real time, acting as a government-to-government link between public safety agencies and telecommunications specialists at critical moments.
The FirstNet Authority also highlighted the breadth of technology the network carried during the tournament, noting that it supported body-worn cameras, drone operations, deployable network assets, and emerging artificial intelligence applications alongside standard voice and data traffic. Combined, these capabilities were credited with helping first responders reach faster decisions, sharpen situational awareness, and coordinate more effectively across agencies during matches and related events.
Looking back on the tournament, the FirstNet Authority framed the network's role as part of a broader, ongoing commitment to equipping American first responders with resilient, modern communications technology — both during major planned events and in day-to-day operations.
