Miami-Dade trims $10.5 million off World Cup funding

After cutting in half the cash amount the county would contribute to the 2026 World Cup matches to be held in Miami-Dade County, commissioners Tuesday approved a resolution to support the Greater Miami Sports Commission for the FIFA 2026 World Cup.

The cut of more than $10 million was not discussed at the meeting.

Commissioner Daniele Cohen Higgins voted against the resolution, explaining in a written statement after the meeting that “while I appreciate the amendment that was made reducing the cash contribution by half, and while I recognize the immense economic impact this event will have on our county, I could not support this item for a number of reasons.” Among them, she wrote, was the absence of an “itemization of where and how the money would be spent.”

The resolution offers $10.5 million in county cash, down from $21 million, $25 million in in-kind services, and $3 million in matching funds for a 2026 FIFA World Cup Legacy project during fiscal years 2024-2025 and 2025-2026. Another $100 million is expected from the private sector, said Miami FIFA Committee Chairman Rodney Barreto.

So, what does Miami-Dade stand to gain from all those millions?

“I like to break it down a different way,” said commission Chairman Oliver G. Gilbert III.

“Every hotel room in Miami Beach and Miami will be filled. Every Coral Gables hotel room will be filled. All the hotels and motels will be filled. Every restaurant will be packed. Everyone will be in an Uber. Everyone will be spending money in our shops.”

“We anticipate more than 700,000 visitors to South Florida,” Mr. Barreto said, “dining in our restaurants, staying in our hotels, using all of our services and spending their money in our community. The economic benefit to the community is significant.”

“We’ve never done anything this big,” he said. Mr. Barreto was chairman of the 2020 Miami Super Bowl committee.

“In terms of actual dollars, the Super Bowl was one event and we had an economic impact to the community of $572 million. But this is seven matches,” he added. “It’s like seven Super Bowls.”

“Even if you just multiplied by three,” he said, “it’s more than $1.5 billion.”

The tournament will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026. It will be jointly hosted by 16 cities in three North American countries: Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The tournament will be the first hosted by three nations and the first North American World Cup since 1994. Argentina is the defending champion.

Seven matches will be held in Miami, including a quarter-final match and a third-place match. There will be 104 matches during the five-week period.

Association Football, called soccer in the United States, is the most popular sport globally, with approximately 4 billion fans worldwide. In contrast, the NFL has an estimated global fan base of 180 million, according to sportscounty.com.

A Miami Host Committee, led by Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, who has publicly questioned prior to the meeting the level of county spending for the event, will be spreading the word throughout South Florida.

Also on the committee are Broward County Mayor Nan Rich, Palm Beach County Mayor Maria Sachs, Monroe County Mayor Holly Merrill Raschein, Miami Gardens Mayor Rodney Harris, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner and State Senator and Miami-Dade Legislative Delegation Chair Ana Maria Rodriguez.

Some 455,000 fans will be able to get into the stadium to watch the matches.

“The benefit to this community is almost priceless,” Mr. Barreto said, “if you think about being on the global stage.”