FBI Chief Kash Patel Visits Doha Months Ahead Of 2026 FIFA World Cup As Qatar, US Sign Security Mous

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel on Tuesday met with Qatar's Minister of Interior Sheikh Khalifa bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani in Doha, with the two nations furthering strategic interests.

During the meeting, two memoranda of understanding (MoUs) were signed by Patel and the Sheikh, with the aiming of bolstering bileratal security cooperation in areas of training, information exchange, and capacity building.

"This step underscores the depth of the strategic partnership between the State of Qatar and the friendly United States of America, and bolsters our joint efforts in securing the 2026 FIFA World Cup," read a post by the Qatari interior minister, who also happens to the Commander of the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya).

No further details were provided, but the meet comes months ahead of the start of 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is being jointly hosted by the US, Mexico, and Canada.

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Having already hosted a FIFA World Cup, Qatar is providing security support and expertise for next year's event -the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) signed an MoU with Qatar's Ministry of Interior in July this year, with a focus on enhancing security cooperation in preparation for the World Cup.

The July agreement, approved by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem in Washington DC, followed a letter of intent that Qatar and the US signed in 2024 over security cooperation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Subsequently, in August this year, a high-level delegation from the FBI's Critical Incident Response Group (CIRG) visited Doha at the invitation of Qatar's Safety and Security Operations Committee (SSOC), with a focus event security for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

"During their stay, the FBI delegation engaged with Qatari counterparts to exchange best practices, assess key legacy systems from the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and strengthen technical cooperation to ensure safe and secure global sporting events," the US Embassy in Qatar said at the time regarding the visit.

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As part of the visit, FBI agents took tours of the Lusail Stadium, as well as other security facilities, such as the National Command Center (NCC) and the Tournament Command Center (TCC).

The FBI delegation also saw a live demonstration by Qatar security on an anti-drone scenario.

"This visit was part of the broader strategic partnership between the United States and Qatar to advance global safety, stability, and cooperation through dialogue, innovation, and joint capacity-building," the US Embassy said at the time.

Patel's visit to Doha on Tuesday also comes mere weeks after the Watan 2025 military exercise in the Gulf nation, where US security units trained with Qatari forces in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

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