FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION
HEADQUARTERS WASHINGTON, DC
FIFA WORLD CUP 2026
FLIGHT ADVISORY
At the request of the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Aviation Administration will establish airspace restrictions over the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final, to be played July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. NOTAMs will be issued depicting 99.7 “Special Security Instruction” Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) to be implemented as follows:
Under the authority granted by 49 U.S.C., the FAA may apply restrictions within airspace under its jurisdiction. Any person who knowingly and willingly violates these restrictions may be subject to certain criminal and/or civil penalties. Pilots who violate security TFRs or procedures may be intercepted, detained and interviewed by Law Enforcement/Security Personnel. They may also be subject to the following actions:
1. The FAA may take administrative action, including imposing civil penalties and the suspension or revocation of airmen certificates;
2. The United States Government may pursue criminal charges, including charges under Title 49 of the United States Code, Section 46307;
3. The United States Government may use deadly force against the airborne aircraft, if it is determined that the aircraft poses an imminent security threat.
10NMR INNER CORE RESTRICTIONS:
Check NOTAMs for exact dates and times. On July 19, 2026, from 1300-2000 EDT, all aircraft flight operations are prohibited from the surface up to but not including FL180 within a 10 Nautical Mile Radius (NMR) of 404848N0740427W or the TEB 205° radial at 2.2NM except as follows:
1. Approved Law Enforcement, approved Military aircraft directly supporting FIFA World Cup 2026 and approved Air Ambulance flights, squawking an assign discrete beacon code, are permitted within the inner core as coordinated.
2. Regularly scheduled commercial passenger and all-cargo carriers operating under one of the following TSA-approved Standard Security Programs/Procedures: Aircraft Operator Standard Security Program (AOSSP), Full-All Cargo Aircraft Operator Standard Security Program (FACAOSSP), Model Security Program (MSP), Twelve Five Standard Security Program (TFSSP) All Cargo, or All-Cargo International Security Procedure (ACISP) and are arriving into and/or departing from 14 CFR Part 139 airports.
10NMR TO 30NMR OUTER RING RESTRICTIONS:
Check NOTAMs for exact dates and times. On July 19, 2026, from 1300-2100 EDT, all aircraft flight operations are prohibited from the surface up to but not including FL180 between the 10NMR and the 30NMR of 404848N0740427W or the TEB 205° radial at 2.2NM except as specified below:
1. All aircraft arriving or departing local airfields, and workload permitting, ATC may authorize transit operations. Aircraft may not loiter. All aircraft entering and exiting the TFR must be on an active IFR or filed VFR flight plan and must be assigned a discrete beacon code by an Air Traffic Control (ATC) facility. Aircraft must be squawking that code prior to departing within, and entering the TFR.
2. All aircraft entering or exiting TFR must remain in two-way radio communication with ATC.
IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE TFR:
For operations within this TFR, all emergency/life-saving flights (medical/law enforcement/firefighting) must coordinate with the FAA at Philadelphia Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) prior to their departure at (215) 492-4123/ 610-870-6480 to avoid potential intercept or delays.
The following operations are not authorized within this TFR: flight training, practice instrument approaches, aerobatic flight, glider operations, parachute operations, ultralight, hang gliding, balloon operations, agriculture/crop dusting, animal population control flight operations, banner towing operations, sightseeing operations, maintenance test flights, model aircraft operations, model rocketry, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), and utility and pipeline survey operations.
UAS ACTIVITY
UAS operators who do not comply with applicable airspace restrictions are warned that pursuant to 10 U.S.C. section 130(i), and 6 U.S.C. section 124(n), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Department of Defense (DOD) may take security action that results in the interference, disruption, seizure, damaging, or destruction of unmanned aircraft deemed to pose a credible safety or security threat to protected personnel, facilities, or assets.
UAS operations are authorized within the defined SSI airspace if in compliance with the requirements listed below:
1) Prior to TFR activation, the UAS flight operation has been pre-approved by the FAA System Operations Support Center (SOSC) based on criteria established by the sponsoring federal agency in coordination with the FAA;
2) If the pre-approved UAS flight operation is conducted in direct support of an active national defense, homeland security, law enforcement, firefighting, search and rescue, or disaster response mission, and prior notification has been provided to the designated facility contact; or
3) If the pre-approved UAS flight operation is conducted in direct support and urgent governmental interest and only after being approved by the FAA SOSC in advance of entering the defined SSI airspace; and
4) The pre-approved UAS flight operation complies with all other applicable federal aviation regulations.
Warning
The FAA recommends that all aircraft operators check NOTAMs OFTEN for mandatory airspace restrictions prior to operations within this region. Specific instructions and restrictions are available at http://tfr.faa.gov once the NOTAM has been issued.