FEMA slow with hundreds of millions in security funding as World Cup nears

WASHINGTON — The continued withholding of $625 million in federal security funding to the 11 U.S. cities hosting 2026 FIFA World Cup matches this summer will soon become "catastrophic for planning,” a U.S. House committee was warned Tuesday.

The chief operating officer of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Miami Host Committee, under questioning by Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-Bayport), testified that the next 30 days for that city represent a "drop dead date” to receive its roughly $70 million share of that money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"We’re quickly approaching that" date, Ray Martinez said during a hearing of the House Homeland Security Committee chaired by Garbarino (R-Bayport).

Garbarino pressed Miami’s Martinez: "So if you don’t get the FEMA grants in the next 30 days, the city of Miami is going to have to start canceling because you can’t prepare for the security of sites?”

Martinez said that is correct, because "without receiving this money, it could be catastrophic for our planning and coordination.”

He noted the tournament is 107 days away, and that states and communities must start building and coordinating security plans beyond the stadiums — for the huge FIFA Fan Fests and other outside events tied to the games that are also expected to draw hundreds of thousands.

If the federal money doesn’t start to arrive, some of those events might be in jeopardy, he said.

The matches are to last nearly six weeks, from June 11 through the July 19 final, to be held at MetLife Stadium in The Meadowlands in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Although there are games also in Mexico and Canada, about three-fourths of the record total 104 games will be played in the U.S. host cities. Eight of those will occur at MetLife Stadium, including the prestigious final.

Given this shortening time frame, lawmakers from both parties during the Garbarino-chaired House Homeland Security Committee hearing Tuesday stressed bafflement and concern over the delayed security funding from FEMA to the host sites.

"This money meant to help cities and states keep their games safe,” said Rep. Nellie Pou (D-N.J.), the top Democrat on a special House task force overseeing the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and in whose district MetLife Stadium is located.

"These funds are just sitting there collecting dust waiting for FEMA approval and to be disbursed,” she added. "States, host cities and local enforcement are begging FEMA to release this money to be able to prepare for and secure the World Cup games.”

Republican Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) warned, "We’re going to see another Boston bombing if we don’t get that funding out the door.”

That was a reference to the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, which occurred along the route of the race.

Although the World Cup security money was approved and signed into law as part of Trump’s huge domestic bill last year, McCaul and other Republicans sought to blame the delay on the continued failure of Congress to pass an annual Homeland Security funding bill.

That bill has been locked in a fight over demands by Democrats for restrictions on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tactics and operations in the wake of Trump’s stepped-up deportation push in Minneapolis and other cities, and fatalities involving federal agents.

Republicans suggested the resulting partial shutdown has kept nonessential FEMA employees who would be processing the World Cup security grants from returning to work.

"This isn’t competency. This is chaos,” Democrat Pou said.