World Cup host cities reportedly chasing down FIFA for ‘legacy’ payments

World soccer body had allegedly promised $1M payouts to U.S. cities, although it's unclear if vow was made to Toronto

Published Aug 04, 2026  •  3 minute read

Players from Portugal huddle before the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match between Portugal and Croatia at Toronto Stadium. Photo by HYUNGCHEOL PARK /Postmedia Network

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World Cup host cities in the United States are reportedly chasing FIFA for what they believe are promised $1-million “legacy” payouts from the event, although it was unclear if Toronto and other host cities in Canada and Mexico are affected as well.

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In a report published by The Athletic on Tuesday citing anonymous sources, the 11 U.S. cities hosting World Cup games this summer were assured by FIFA management that they would receive $1-million payments for legacy initiatives despite soccer’s world governing body not making that vow public.

The alleged promise came after the 11 U.S. cities hosting the 2025 Club World Cup were publicly promised $1-million “legacy” contributions from now-embattled FIFA president Gianni Infantino to support “social projects” and infrastructure that could include things like mini-pitches.

“After Infantino’s announcement, the U.S. cities scheduled to host games in 2026 asked if they would receive the same $1-million contribution for the more substantial and costly role of hosting multiple games across 39 days during the World Cup,” The Athletic’s Adam Crafton reported.

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Host cities seeking update from FIFA: Report

Four host city committee executives granted anonymity by The Athletic said FIFA’s senior management promised the payouts verbally and reiterated them in meetings, but had not followed through as “several cities are now asking FIFA staff for updates.”

An email to FIFA seeking a comment on The Athletic’s report was not immediately returned.

The U.S. cities that hosted games this year included Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle.

Toronto was among the five cities outside of the U.S. to host games. Vancouver was the other Canadian city, while Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey were host cities in Mexico.

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Was the City of Toronto affected?

A City of Toronto spokesperson said in an email that they could not comment before the Toronto Sun’s print deadline on whether a similar $1-million legacy payout was promised and whether a payment was received if that had happened.

The spokesperson promised to follow up on the request on Wednesday, although Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow has previously cited the new soccer facilities at Centennial Park and four mini-pitches being built across the city as proof of the game’s enduring legacy.

Hosting the tournament in Toronto, meanwhile, cost municipal, provincial and federal taxpayers a combined $380 million at last count, a number that Councillor Josh Matlow recently suggested was “likely” outdated.

“I just think from a financial perspective, this was a failure,” Matlow said last week while calling on council to ask the auditor general to perform a “value-for-money” audit of the tournament.

Meanwhile, a detailed financial report is not expected from the city until early next year.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino reacts during the 2026 World Cup Group D football match between USA and Paraguay earlier this month. AFP via Getty Images

FIFA president under fire

The allegations of missing payments came as FIFA member organizations grow increasingly disillusioned with Infantino, who tried to sell off stakes in the World Cup to private investors including the family of U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

FIFA eventually scrapped the idea after it went public and now Infantino’s future as FIFA president could be in jeopardy amid backlash from soccer governing bodies in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and Europe.

Adding fuel to the fire was a social media post by former FIFA vice-president Prince Ali bin Al Hussein of Jordan, who said his country’s soccer federation had been “waiting for reward money for our players since December for the Arab Cup in Qatar, which is a FIFA event.

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“The money our team should receive for having reached the final has not been delivered yet, while at the same time FIFA brags about how many billions they have in reserve,” he said in his post.

“It is clear the problem really is with leadership. For months, FIFA has been refusing to help us on any of these or other matters — until it was verbally communicated to me during the World Cup that if I endorsed Infantino it would go a long way to helping our FA out.”

He added that the “whole situation amounts to blackmail and we refuse to give in to that.”

FIFA has yet to respond to those accusations as well.

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