FIFA apologises for World Cup private investment controversy

The 2023-26 revenue cycle of FIFA, the world governing body of football, reportedly reached a record US$15 billion, as announced by the organization. This surge in earnings can be attributed to the 39-day World Cup tournament, which was expanded to include 48 teams for the first time. The expansion took place across venues in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

In the aftermath of the tournament, multiple US cities that hosted matches are seeking millions of dollars they believe FIFA promised them. According to four anonymous executives from World Cup cities, FIFA management assured them that each city would receive US$1 million in legacy funds to support football-related infrastructure and social projects. These executives spoke to The Athletic, a news outlet, about their experiences and the unfulfilled promises.

The executives claimed that FIFA management made this verbal promise repeatedly to the cities during meetings, despite there being no public statement made by the organization. They added that this promise was made to all the host cities, including Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Kansas City, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Miami, Boston, and New York/New Jersey.

However, it appears that FIFA has not paid these promised legacy funds. Consequently, several cities are now reaching out to FIFA staff for updates on the payments. This issue has become another setback for FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who is currently facing criticism from the European confederation UEFA and other governing bodies, as well as some within FIFA, over his previously proposed plan to open the World Cup to private investment.