World Cup could cost Miami-Dade’s government $46 million in cash, donated police pay
For playing host to seven World Cup soccer matches in 2026, Miami-Dade County’s government expects to spend up to $46 million in cash subsidies, donated police services and other expenses.
The tab for a month of matches at Hard Rock Stadium is detailed in legislation up for a committee hearing next week. It includes up to $21 million in “cash support” and $25 million in government services, including police, paramedics and other county services.
READ MORE: Get ready to party, South Florida! Hard Rock Stadium to host seven 2026 World Cup games
The money would be paid to the Greater Miami Sports Commission to distribute to organizers of the FIFA 2026 World Cup, according to the resolution scheduled for a hearing before the County Commission’s Policy Council on Monday at 9 a.m. ahead of a final vote before the full board.
Miami-Dade’s estimated $46 million tab is well above what the county said it paid the last time the Super Bowl was in Miami Gardens. For that 2020 game, Miami-Dade approved about $10 million in support, including cash subsidies, donated police hours, waived permit fees and other costs.
While the Super Bowl was a single event at Hard Rock, the World Cup will bring seven soccer matches to Miami Gardens between June 15 and July 18 in 2026. The games promise to be global draws as part of the world’s most-watched sporting event. Organizers picked Miami Gardens for a quarter final match, giving Hard Rock one of the showdown games on the way to the final match in the New York area.
Mexico, Canada and the United States will serve as co-hosts for the 2026 World Cup. Miami-Dade County was part of a lobbying effort to win a slot as a host city in the North American bid to bring World Cup to the United States, and the announcement of “Miami” as a major match venue earlier this year was touted as the equivalent of bringing “seven Super Bowls” to the area in a month. At the time, cost estimates for the host area went as high as $100 million.
The county expects 600,000 visitors during World Cup and claims the events will generate about $500 million for the local economy. The World Cup legislation states that organizers expect a “substantial increase in public safety and security costs” over a standard stadium event.
In addition to the $46 million for organizers, Miami-Dade also plans to spend $3 million on a “legacy” project in the Miami Gardens area that FIFA will also help fund. No details were provided, but the county has funded park upgrades in partnership with Super Bowl organizers for “legacy” projects in the past.
