SPOKANE, Wash – Spokane Police want new drones and mitigation barriers to provide security during this summer’s World Cup. Specifically, to protect Team Egypt, which would practice at Gonzaga University.
According to the FIFA brochure on potential ‘base camps,’ it showed the team could practice facility in Spokane would be at Gonzaga and the hotel would be Northern Quest Resort and Casino.
Police are making the request on Monday’s city council agenda. It’s the first time it’s been publicly mentioned that Spokane would host Team Egypt leading up to the World Cup games in Seattle.
Egypt is scheduled to play Belgium June 15th and Iran June 26th at Lumen Field.
In a proposal to the city council, police are asking for four Skydio X10 drones which will provide “readiness for both the World Cup at future large-scale events.”
“Spokane has been identified as a host city for Team Egypt,” the request says, “which will require continual drone overwatch of training sites, potential lodging, and transportation routes.”
Police are also requesting permission to buy mitigation barriers and the equipment needed to go with them.
“The barriers our department is requesting under this grant will allow for hostile vehicle mitigation for World Cup 2026 activities in Spokane,” the request says. “Specifically the barriers will be used to harden the Gonzaga University practice site from potential vehicle borne attacks.”
Police say after the World Cup, the barriers “will be utilized to enhance the safety of multiple public events in the city of Spokane.”
This agenda item is the only public reference to Spokane hosting Team Egypt before the team’s World Cup games.
The drones cost nearly $127,000. The barriers and trailer cost $99,786. The request says police would buy them with existing capital budget funds, then be reimbursed by the city’s FIFA grant.
Spokane was previously named as a Fan Zone for the World Cup, with watch parties planned in Gesa Pavilion in Riverfront Park.
4 News Now has reached out to the City of Spokane and Gonzaga University for more information.
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