MIAMI — With just a few weeks to go before he’s out of office, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez has a big ask of his colleagues on the City Commission: approve up to $7.5 million in city services to support FIFA-sanctioned events when the World Cup games come to town next year.

That’s in addition to a $5 million cash contribution that the city previously agreed to pay to FIFA World Cup, according to a July budget memo.

If approved, the city could join Miami-Dade County in donating millions of dollars in government services when the World Cup brings seven soccer matches to Hard Rock Stadium in 2026. The city’s proposal to donate services from police, fire-rescue, sanitation and more follows a request from the local World Cup host committee, which is independent of FIFA, according to the legislation.

Suarez, who is sponsoring the proposal, said in a statement to the Miami Herald that next year’s events present a “once in a lifetime opportunity.”

While the World Cup games are taking place in Miami Gardens — a separate municipality — Suarez said he’s expecting a flurry of related events to happen in the city of Miami. That includes FIFA Fan Festival, taking place in downtown’s Bayfront Park, which Suarez said will draw “over 1 million attendees.”

“Miami will receive unprecedented global exposure, and our small businesses, restaurants, and hotels stand to benefit enormously from the influx of tourism and international media attention,” Suarez said.

Asked how the city arrived at the $7.5 million figure, the mayor said it is “based on the public safety, traffic management, sanitation, and logistical support required to safely host an event of that scale.” He did not provide further details on how the number was calculated.

“Beyond FanFest, we anticipate several FIFA sanctioned activations within city limits, all of which will generate significant economic and cultural value,” Suarez said. “Put simply: this investment ensures Miami shows the world who we are, while maximizing the economic return for our residents and businesses.”

The proposed legislation is slated to go before the Miami City Commission for a vote Thursday.

Host committee chair Rodney Barreto has been spearheading the push for government funding for the games at Hard Rock, the Herald previously reported. Neither Barreto nor Alina Hudak, who is president and CEO of the host committee, responded to requests for comment seeking more details on the amount of financial assistance the host committee requested from the city and how it anticipates using city services.

Other board members of the nonprofit host committee include Jorge Mas, the managing owner of Inter Miami and one of the developers behind the under-construction Miami Freedom Park soccer stadium, which is the mayor’s marquee project, and billionaire Ken Griffin, an acquaintance of Suarez.

Griffin was on the roster at a major business conference Suarez organized last week. Speaking onstage, Griffin said: “If [Suarez] asks me to jump, the only answer is how high.” FIFA President Gianni Infantino was also a featured speaker at the event.

Like the city, the county in spending millions in tax dollars on next year’s World Cup events. Miami-Dade County has agreed to spend up to $46 million in cash subsidies, donated police services and other expenses when the World Cup comes to town next year.

———

Miami Herald staff writer Douglas Hanks contributed to this report.

©2025 Miami Herald. Visit miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.