Several United States cities that hosted matches during the FIFA World Cup have asked world football’s governing body for millions of dollars in legacy funding that they believe FIFA promised but has yet to pay.
According to a report by The Athletic, four executives from World Cup host city committees said FIFA management repeatedly told them each city would receive $1 million to support football infrastructure and community projects. The executives spoke anonymously to protect their working relationships.
The report says FIFA officials made the commitment verbally during meetings with host city representatives, although the organisation never issued a public statement confirming the payments.
The executives said host cities have now contacted FIFA staff to request updates after Gianni Infantino announced identical $1 million legacy payments for host cities involved in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.
Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Kansas City, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Miami, Boston and New York/New Jersey all staged matches during the expanded 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the United States co-hosted with Canada and Mexico.
The tournament featured 48 teams for the first time and ran for 39 days. It also helped FIFA generate record revenues, with reports placing the governing body’s income for the 2023-26 commercial cycle at $15 billion.
The dispute comes during a difficult period for FIFA president Gianni Infantino. His leadership has already faced criticism following the collapse of his proposal to sell a stake in the World Cup to private investors, a plan that drew strong opposition from UEFA and other football bodies before FIFA withdrew it.
The report adds another challenge for FIFA as host cities continue seeking clarification over the promised legacy funding.
