Missouri offers tax breaks, funds for chance to host World Cup
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — U.S. cities and states have lined up with tax breaks and millions of dollars in both public and private investments for a chance at hosting 2026 FIFA World Cup games, set to be announced Thursday.
The prize is a share of what FIFA expects to be more than $5 billion in short-term economic activity generated from the tournament throughout North America.
In hopes of scoring a deal, state lawmakers and city leaders are cutting sales taxes on tickets and pumping millions of dollars into stadium renovations.
Missouri is among a handful of states that preemptively passed a bill to exempt FIFA tickets from sales taxes. Kansas City-area Democratic state Sen. John Rizzo said he expects revenue generated from Kansas City hosting the event to “more than offset” any losses on sales taxes for tickets.
“There are a lot of excited soccer fans that are hoping that we can get this done,” Rizzo said. “I’m hopeful, too.”
Seventeen stadiums in 16 areas remain in contention to be among 10-12 selected from the U.S. for the tournament, which will be co-hosted with Mexico and Canada. The U.S. will host 60 of the 80 games under FIFA’s plan, including all from the quarterfinals on, and there was little doubt over the venues for 10 games each in the other nations.
FIFA’s calls for tax breaks and other funding assistance led cities including Minneapolis, Chicago and Glendale, Arizona, to drop out of the running in 2018.
Lawmakers and city officials elsewhere appear more willing to make concessions.
The Republican governors of Georgia and Florida in May signed legislation eliminating sales taxes on tickets for World Cup soccer matches.
Missouri lawmakers sent similar legislation to Republican Gov. Mike Parson last month. He has not indicated whether he’ll sign it.
“I know there’s probably some people out there that are like, why are we doing that?” Rizzo said. “The reason for that is in the past, there have been other places that have hiked the sales tax on the tickets just before they went on sale.”
The remaining U.S. areas and stadiums:
Arlington, Texas, AT&T Stadium; Atlanta, Mercedes-Benz Stadium; Baltimore, M&T Bank Stadium; Cincinnati, Paul Brown Stadium; Denver, Empower Field at Mile High; East Rutherford, New Jersey, MetLife Stadium; Foxborough, Massachusetts, Gillette Stadium; Houston, NRG Stadium; Inglewood, California, SoFi Stadium; Kansas City, Missouri, Arrowhead Stadium; Miami Gardens, Florida, Hard Rock Stadium; Nashville, Tennessee, Nissan Stadium; Orlando, Florida, Camping World Stadium; Pasadena, California, Rose Bowl; Philadelphia, Lincoln Financial Field; Santa Clara, California, Levi’s Stadium; Seattle, Lumen Field.