House Committee on Homeland Security Chairman Andrew R. Garbarino has announced a full committee hearing scheduled for Tuesday, February 24, to discuss coordination among federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial governments as well as private sector partners in preparation for major mass gathering events in the United States later this year.
In a statement about the upcoming hearing, Garbarino said: “The World Cup will be the largest sporting event in history, but that’s not all––the final games will also coincide with countless celebrations across the country for America’s 250th anniversary. These generational events require a whole-of-government effort and strong private sector partnerships to defend against evolving threats to our air and cyberspace, prevent terrorist organizations and lone wolf extremists from committing acts of violence, and combat organized criminal activity like human trafficking. Following critical reconciliation funding provided by congressional Republicans, this panel of law enforcement and industry experts will testify at a pivotal time for our homeland security and emergency preparedness. We must work together to instill public confidence in the safety of these events and ensure that any potential communication, coordination, or information sharing challenges are addressed well in advance of these major events.”
The hearing is titled “Before the Whistle: Assessing Information Sharing and Security Collaboration Ahead of Major Events” and will take place at 10:00 AM ET at 310 Cannon House Office Building. The session will feature testimony from Mike Sena (President of the National Fusion Center Association), Ray Martinez (Chief Operating Officer of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Miami Host Committee), and Joseph Mabin (Deputy Chief of Kansas City Missouri Police). The hearing will be livestreamed on YouTube and is open to both the public and press; members of the press are required to have congressional credentials and should RSVP ahead of time.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to occur throughout North America during June-July 2026. Over 70 matches are planned across 11 U.S. cities. FIFA expects at least five million fans to travel to the United States for the tournament while global online viewership could reach up to six billion people. The final match has been designated as a National Special Security Event (NSSE), which qualifies it for significant federal resources due to its size and importance. For NSSEs such as this event, the U.S. Secret Service—part of the Department of Homeland Security—is responsible for leading security planning efforts.
Budget reconciliation investments passed by Congress in July 2025 included $625 million allocated specifically for preparations related to hosting duties for the World Cup in 2026 along with $1 billion earmarked for security arrangements surrounding the Los Angeles Summer Olympics in 2028.
Additionally, in May 2025, the House Homeland Security Committee established a task force dedicated to maintaining oversight over security measures for large-scale domestic and international events hosted within U.S. borders.
