▶ Watch Video: F-16s intercept planes flying in restricted airspace in New Jersey
F-16 fighter jets on Sunday intercepted multiple planes that flew through restricted airspace over Bedminster and East Rutherford, New Jersey, the site of the World Cup final, military officials said.
The jets deployed flares to catch the attention of some of the pilots of those planes, which may have been visible to people on the ground in that area, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command. The aircraft were safely escorted from the area.
In total, F-16 jets intercepted three of 10 general aviation planes that entered the restricted airspace on Sunday, deploying flares in two of those encounters. General aviation planes are any non-commercial aircraft. It wasn’t clear whether these were recreational civilian planes, business jets, or something else.
“Flares are employed with the highest regard for safety, burn out quickly and completely, and pose no danger to people on the ground,” said NORAD.
A temporary flight restriction was in place over the section of northern New Jersey where the violations occurred, said NORAD. Temporary flight restrictions are issued by the Federal Aviation Administration and communicated to pilots through messages called Notices of Airmen, or NOTAMs, prohibiting them from entering certain airspaces without permission for a given period of time. The restrictions also apply to drones, according to the FAA, and violating them can result in a range of sanctions, warnings, fines or suspensions.
In a social media post, the command urged pilots to check NOTAMs and the FAA site where flight restrictions are updated before liftoff.
Neither NORAD nor the FAA specified the reason for Sunday’s temporary restriction, but East Rutherford is the city where MetLife Stadium, the venue that hosted the 2026 World Cup final match, is located. The command also routinely issues temporary flight restriction zones for President Trump’s Bedminster retreat as well as his property at Mar-a-Lago in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Temporary flight restrictions are historically issued around large events, including sporting events, like World Cup and Olympics past, especially those that draw massive crowds and high-profile guests. Mr. Trump, Spain’s royal family, Mexico’s president, Canada’s prime minister, and a long list of Hollywood celebrities attended the match.
On Sunday, the FAA issued a temporary flight restriction specifically targeting drone operators in Atlanta’s Piedmont Park, which saw hordes of soccer fans gather for a World Cup watch party, CBS Atlanta reported.
Last month, an F-16 fighter jet intercepted a civilian plane that was flying through restricted airspace over Hagerstown, Maryland.