TSA Selects Rohde & Schwarz Scanners to Upgrade Airport Screening Ahead of World Cup 2026
Key Highlights
- The TSA awarded Rohde & Schwarz a contract to deploy advanced screening systems at select airports for the 2026 World Cup.
- The QPS201 platform uses millimeter-wave technology to quickly and accurately detect concealed threats, improving security throughput.
- The open, hands-down scan posture improves accessibility for travelers with mobility needs and expedites the screening process.
- More than 100 QPS201 systems are already operational in U.S. airports, with more than 2,000 deployed worldwide, demonstrating their proven effectiveness.
As the United States prepares to host the Soccer World Cup 2026, the Transportation Security Administration has awarded Rohde & Schwarz a multi-million-dollar contract to deploy advanced passenger screening technology at airports in select host cities.
Under the award, TSA will install Rohde & Schwarz QPS201 security scanners, an advanced imaging technology (AIT) platform, at passenger screening checkpoints. The systems are designed to improve throughput, accessibility, and threat detection as airports brace for a significant surge in international and domestic travel tied to the tournament.
Rohde & Schwarz, a global provider of AI-based millimeter-wave screening systems, said the award reflects TSA’s continued investment in modernizing U.S. airport security infrastructure.
“We are thrilled to receive this award to deliver QPS201’s high-volume and passenger-friendly on-person security screening technology to modernize checkpoints at the airports of cities hosting the matches,” said Frank Dunn, CEO of Rohde & Schwarz USA, Inc. Dunn added that the expanded deployment will also drive job growth at the company’s U.S. facilities in Maryland and Texas.
The QPS201 platform was qualified by TSA in 2022 for use at U.S. passenger screening checkpoints and meets the highest certification standards set by both TSA and the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC). According to the company, more than 100 QPS201 systems are already operating in U.S. airports, with more than 2,000 deployed worldwide.
The system uses low-power millimeter-wave radio-frequency technology to quickly and accurately detect concealed threats. Each scan takes only milliseconds, and the open, hands-down scan posture is intended to make screening faster and more accessible for a wide range of travelers, including those with mobility needs.
“We are proud that TSA is investing in modernizing security checkpoints at the Soccer World Cup 2026 host city airports with our high-performance QPS201 technology platform,” said Andreas Haegele, vice president of microwave imaging at Rohde & Schwarz. “We are deeply committed to our partnership with TSA and to delivering innovative screening solutions as the U.S. enters a mega decade of travel.”
That “mega decade,” Haegele noted, includes not only the Soccer World Cup, but also other large-scale global events such as America’s 250th anniversary and the Olympic Games—all expected to place unprecedented demands on aviation security operations.
With the World Cup expected to draw millions of visitors across multiple U.S. cities, TSA officials and industry partners are under pressure to balance security effectiveness with passenger experience. The expanded rollout of advanced imaging systems such as the QPS201 signals a continued shift toward high-throughput, technology-driven screening that meets both objectives.
Additional information on the QPS201 security scanner and its applications is available through Rohde & Schwarz’s security screening division.