Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, facing the harshest budget year of her administration and almost certain cuts to services, asked all department heads earlier this month to identify where they could cut 10% of their expenses. Then, this week, she has recommended the county hand another $10.5 million subsidy to FIFA for the seven 2026 World Cup games that will be played here.
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association already got $10.5 million in cash and another $25 in donated or in-kind county services, like police and fire rescue. It was cut from their original request for $21 million in cash after pubic outcry last year, including criticism from Florida House Speaker Daniel “Danny” Perez.
Even Levine Cava, last year, had concerns about the subsidy, calling it a significant cost. That resistance was why Commissioner Oliver Gilbert, who sponsored the legislation (the World Cup games will at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens), decided to compromise and as for only half of the cash the organization wanted.
But even then, it seemed like another bait and switch was coming when Miami-Dade Commissioner Anthony Rodriguez said, “We might need more.”
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Gilbert is again sponsoring the legislation that would give FIFA the other $10.5 mil.
But do they really need it?
All FIFA tournaments generate revenue from sponsorships. In 2022, FIFA had revenues of over $5.8 billion, ending the 2019–2022 cycle with a net positive of $1.2 billion, and cash reserves of over $3.9 billion, according to Wikipedia, which cites the organization’s own Financial Highlights report of April 2023. There have been investigative journalism reports over the years that have linked FIFA leadership with corruption, bribery and vote rigging.
Hmm. They should fit right in here.
This $10.5 million is a drop in the bucket for FIFA leaders, who all get big, fat bonuses, but important to Miami-Dade residents, who could see their services decrease.
The legislation is coming up at Tuesday’s county commission meeting. It is part of the “mid-year supplemental budget adjustments and amendments” for operating and capital expenses that total $137.258 million, according to the memo from the mayor’s office. That includes:
- Almost $30 million for the new Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Department, most of it for bargaining concessions and overtime.
- More than $1.3 million to the Property Appraiser’s office.
- $6.3 million to the Tax Collector’s office.
- $3.7 million for the Supervisor of Elections, for 16 new positions and “rebranding efforts.”
- $750,000, or $150K for each of the constitutional positions, for outside legal counsel in the transition process.
The $10.5 million for FIFA will be funded from the Wages and Separation Reserve Fund, according to the mayor’s memo. “In order to replenish the Wages and Separation Reserve Fund, the administration anticipates there will be operational savings realized within the General Fund. To achieve these savings, several considerations regarding the current level of services provided 
by departments funded by the General Fund and how they provide those services are being reviewed. As a result, service adjustments may be inevitable.”
That bears repeating: “Service adjustments may be inevitable.”
Levine Cava wrote that “The proposed allocation will help ensure the County is adequately prepared to manage the significant demands and opportunities associated with hosting this global event.” How so? How does handing them $10.5 mil do that? We are already providing $25 million in police and fire rescue services.
Lobbyist Rodney Barreto, whose firm represents the Dolphins and who serves as co-chair of the World Cup hosting committee, told The Miami Herald that the additional $10.5 million request was expected and that the economic boost from the events will more than make up for it. “The hotel tax revenue produced will be more than enough to justify the item,” Barreto said.
Maybe. But it’s still going to be $10.5 million less that the county can count on if commissioners accept this on Tuesday.
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It’s disheartening to see millions of taxpayer dollars funneled into FIFA while basic needs like affordable housing and local services are neglected. Prioritizing a global spectacle over the well-being of residents sends the wrong message. The $21 million could be better spent on essential services, especially when cuts are already being made elsewhere. Meanwhile, the financial benefits largely flow to hotels and corporations, while everyday people bear the cost in the form of higher rents and reduced services. It’s a troubling cycle where the community foots the bill for corporate interests while the true needs of the people, housing, healthcare, education, go unmet. Miami’s government should focus on improving life for residents, not pandering to outside interests that offer limited long-term value to the local community.
It’s exhausting to watch our “leaders” squander public dollars for the benefit of organizations like FIFA. Miami is so desperate to be seen by the rest of the world that we’ll give everything away just for some overhead shots of the skyline. FIFA should be paying us to host the event, not the other way around.
Suggest it could come from budget of all Commissioner’s staffing cost ^ ancillary expenses!
It is their screw-up so take it out of their budget!!
FIFA is worth more than Miami-Dade County. Why is Mayor Cava giving welfare to billionaires? Does she want a Photo Op? And why does Cava have 50+ friends on the M-D payroll and all working for “the Mayors Office”. Seems like a lot of waste and fraud.
Who profits from the boost to the hotel revenues? The hotels. Who loses from service cuts? The residents.
As usual, it’s all about privatizing the profits and socializing the loses.
I vote NO! on giving a penny to FIFA, and spending it on the taxpaying residents of MDC instead.
The County can start cutting those agencies (eg Beacon Council ) that provide little services to the broad community and spend a lot in fancy office space.
They already don’t have money to fund the cultural grants program awards for 2024. Apparently culture doesn’t provide a big enough ROI.
As with all gov’t payouts to sports venues/events who promise exceedingly optimistic returns for the investment, it will not happen. People will drive to the event and leave the area after the games; except for on-site concessions, there is NO local benefit from these events unless, of course, you consider bumper-to-bumper traffic a benefit.
Big test for the republican spending conscious commissioners who are OK with the dismantling of the federal government since I have not heard them publicly say a word about it.
This is another slap on the face of the working class, fixed income retirees in Dade County who cannot take more hits.
What a let down , a sad lobbyist owned disaster Cava has been as even basic management skills she lacks .
Politics is the lesser of the evils but here it winds up being evil 1 vs evil 2 and we lose the same .
Que horror .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKcAYMb5uk4
FIFA is so corrupt, with a notoriously rape culture, and does business with sponsors of terrorist. This is a disgrace! Explain this to your constituents! What does Abula get out of it? more traffic and fewer government services.