FIFA has failed to transfer the promised million-dollar payments to the 11 U.S. cities that hosted the World Cup, two weeks after the tournament concluded, local administrations continue to demand the resources.
The president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, is again at the center of criticism following reports of non-compliance with payments promised to the host cities of the World Cup in the United States.
According to information published by the North American media The Athletic, the governing body of world football agreed to a contribution of one million dollars for each of the 11 U.S. cities that hosted matches during the tournament.
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Two weeks have passed since the conclusion of the major football event, and local administrations continue to demand the transfer of the resources. So far, the international institution has not made the corresponding payments to settle the financial commitment acquired with the host cities.
The dispute exposes a recurring pattern in the relationship between the FIFA leadership and the municipalities that assume the logistical and security costs of organizing the world’s most watched sporting event. City governments in the United States typically invest heavily in stadium upgrades, public transportation, security operations and fan zones, expecting the promised contributions to offset those expenses.
U.S. host cities for the 2026 World Cup are chasing FIFA for millions of dollars they believe they were promised by soccer’s governing body which have so far gone unpaid.
Before the Club World Cup in 2025, held in the U.S., the FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced that FIFA… pic.twitter.com/h5DksibTDF
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) August 4, 2026
Host Cities Waiting
The Athletic‘s report details that the agreement established a fixed contribution per city, without additional conditions beyond the completion of the tournament. With the final match now in the past, the administrations of all 11 host cities have publicly confirmed that they have not received the funds, according to the publication.
FIFA has not issued an official statement explaining the delay. The silence adds tension to a scenario in which Infantino had presented the World Cup in North America as a model of financial success, with record revenues projected from ticket sales, broadcasting rights and corporate sponsorships.
The unpaid obligations affect cities that mobilized significant public resources to guarantee the event’s operation. The lack of payment forces local governments to cover pending costs with municipal budgets, a burden that in several cases falls on taxpayers in jurisdictions that already face fiscal pressure.
The situation recalls previous controversies around the financial management of the international body, which has faced scrutiny over corruption scandals and opaque contracting processes in past cycles. The current dispute, however, involves a much larger number of creditors and occurs immediately after a tournament celebrated by organizers as a commercial milestone.
Analysts following the case note that the delay could complicate FIFA’s relations with local governments ahead of the World Cup 2026, which is co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Municipalities that feel aggrieved may reduce cooperation in future bids, affecting the country’s chances of attracting major sporting events.
Local authorities have not announced legal action yet, but several administrations have stated that they will exhaust all avenues to recover the resources. The coming weeks will determine whether FIFA fulfills its commitment or faces a wave of complaints and lawsuits from the host cities.
FIFA still owes $250 MILLION to clubs participating in last year’s inaugural Club World Cup.
This man is having a generationally bad week.
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— Sleeper Football (@SleeperFooty) August 2, 2026
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