U.S. World Cup host cities seek unpaid FIFA legacy funds

Eleven U.S. cities that hosted matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup are seeking millions of dollars in promised funding they say has not been delivered by world soccer's governing body. According to reports, FIFA President Gianni Infantino verbally assured officials from Seattle, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Atlanta, Philadelphia, New York/New Jersey, Miami, and Boston that each would receive a $1 million "legacy" contribution for football infrastructure and community projects.

The promise was reportedly made after Infantino announced a similar $1 million contribution for cities hosting the upcoming 2025 Club World Cup in the United States. Executives from multiple host city committees, speaking anonymously, said FIFA management repeatedly reassured them they would receive the same payment for the World Cup, despite no public statement from the organization. With the 39-day tournament now concluded, the cities say the funds remain unpaid, and they are pressing FIFA for updates.

The situation adds to the financial challenges for host cities, which bore significant costs for security, transportation, and logistics while FIFA retained...