Ray Martínez, chief operating officer of Miami’s FIFA World Cup host committee, warned that the fan festival planned for the tournament beginning in June could be scrapped if the city does not receive the federal funds promised by the United States government within the next 30 days.

Although host cities secured financing through the massive spending bill approved last year – hailed by President Donald Trump’s administration as the largest of its kind – the funds must still be distributed through the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is responsible for processing the grant program. Without that step, organizers say their plans could unravel at a critical stage.

“We are 107 days out from the tournament... Within the next 30 days is the drop-dead date... Without receiving this money, it could be catastrophic for our planning and coordination,” Martínez told a congressional hearing held Tuesday.

He added: “We have never handled anything like this.” Martínez, who previously served on the Miami Super Bowl Committee ahead of Super Bowl LIV in 2020, said that while South Florida is used to staging major sporting events, a 23-day fan festival in downtown Miami and at City Park would be unprecedented. “We expect hundreds of thousands of people to come to South Florida to be part of the games,” he continued. “We understand that not everyone will be able to get into the stadium, so the fan fest will be where people gather to enjoy the matches.”

Funding delays spread beyond Miami

The delays are not limited to Miami. Lawmakers from New Jersey and Kansas City also voiced concern over the lack of access to the promised funds.

“With only about four months left, these cities are still reporting that they have not received the money. This is completely unacceptable so close to kickoff. If the Department of Homeland Security is going to play a role in this tournament, then it must be transparent, coordinated and timely. The World Cup is a global stage. We need to act like we are ready for it. We are running out of time,” said Representative Nelli Pou of New Jersey.

Mike Sena, president of the National Fusion Center Association, which coordinates security intelligence sharing between federal and local agencies, warned that delayed disbursements carry broader risks. “When disbursements are postponed, it does not just affect local budgets, it derails nationally prioritized projects designed to prevent major threats,” he said. “We are already facing numerous delays and do not know if or when we will receive these funds in order to continue our operations,” Sena acknowledged during the hearing.

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