Pro-Iranian Hackers Claim They Hacked FBI Drones Securing the World Cup

A pro-Iranian hacking group called Handala says it breached an FBI drone system used to secure World Cup matches. The group claimed it has been monitoring live feeds from the drones and tracking games from the air, while warning teams: “We do not like these teams at all.”

According to a message circulated by SITE, which monitors online activity linked to states and militant groups, the hackers told organizers to strengthen World Cup security and added, “Do not forget, FPV drones are everywhere; you never know when one of them may come straight to your team bus.” Handala also said it had access to the FBI’s drone systems for months and therefore could see “every image and every suspect” captured by the agency’s drones.

The group further listed FBI Director Kash Patel among its “successfully breached victims” and said it had brought FBI systems “to their knees,” despite describing those systems earlier as “unbreachable.” The claims were not independently verified, and cybersecurity experts questioned the authenticity of evidence the group had previously posted.

Analysts said the latest threats appear aimed at exploiting one of the world’s biggest media stages rather than carrying out random cyber vandalism. Handala is widely described as a pro-Iranian, anti-Israel hacking group that says its activity is retaliation against the United States amid FBI actions and the broader tensions between Washington and Tehran.