US Prepares Airports With Biometric Tech for 2026 World Cup

The United States has begun installing biometric electronic gates at major airports in preparation for an anticipated surge of international visitors during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The rollout also aligns with upcoming large-scale events, including the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.

The first eGates were installed on Aug. 26 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, the country’s busiest international hub. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) said the pilot program will expand to Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, DC, and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport before the end of the month. CLEAR, a private identity verification company, is partnering with TSA to implement the system.

The biometric eGates verify passengers’ identities by matching their facial image with identity documents and boarding passes. “Once identity and clearance are confirmed, passengers proceed directly to physical screening, bypassing the TSA podium while still undergoing all security screening,” CLEAR said.

The system is currently available as an opt-in feature for CLEAR Plus members. CLEAR stressed that its access to data is limited: “CLEAR transmits only limited data (live photo, boarding pass, ID photo used for enrollment, and identity information) — it has no access to watchlists, cannot override TSA gate decisions, and does not manually open gates.”

TSA highlighted the partnership as part of a broader effort to improve security screening through public-private collaboration. “TSA’s partnership with CLEAR on eGates is one example of how we are working with stakeholders both inside and outside the government to improve hospitality and security for the American traveler,” said TSA Acting Deputy Administrator Adam Stahl. TSA also noted that the pilot program is being implemented at no cost to taxpayers.

The introduction of biometric screening reflects a broader trend at TSA. The agency has been expanding facial recognition verification, with plans to deploy it at more than 400 airports in the coming years. Last month, TSA issued a request for information to explore additional “innovative technology” for improving passenger screening.

However, the increasing reliance on biometric tools has raised privacy concerns. Electronic gates collect sensitive personal information, including names, dates of birth, nationalities, passport numbers, photos, and biometric data such as facial scans or fingerprints. The involvement of private companies in processing this data has drawn scrutiny from lawmakers. In November, a bipartisan group in Congress urged the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general to review TSA’s use of facial recognition. DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari confirmed earlier this year that his office would audit TSA’s deployment of the technology.