When the men’s World Cup winds down next week, FIFA isn’t packing it all up and heading back to Zurich.
Instead, the global soccer governing body will keep open the Miami office that it has used as an American political headquarters as it looks to expand its presence in the western hemisphere.
The strategy marks a significant shift in how FIFA has approached major tournaments. Rather than relying on a local organizing structure that dissolves after the final whistle, officials say the organization intends to retain the institutional knowledge assembled in South Florida and deploy it for the next wave of competitions.
“The whole idea was to bring 50 people from Zurich, who have the necessary experience and breadth, who’ve done other World Cups and they became the nucleus of Miami and they hired people,” a senior FIFA adviser, granted anonymity to describe internal strategy, said earlier this year. “That’s a model that we intend to use for future World Cups.”
FIFA first opened its Miami office in 2023, but the operation has since ballooned into 700-plus full-time staff. During the tournament, it has functioned as the organization’s nerve center and base for senior officials, including Chief Event Operations Officer for the FIFA World Cup Heimo Schirgi.
The Miami team will soon pivot toward FIFA’s next slate of marquee events. Brazil will host the women’s World Cup next year, and FIFA will help to manage the soccer portion of the LA28 Olympics, which will include qualifying matches across the United States. And while Spain, Portugal and Morocco will serve as the primary hosts of the 2030 men’s World Cup, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will each stage one opening match to commemorate the tournament’s centennial.
Just a year later, the United States is expected to host the 2031 women’s World Cup, giving FIFA another major event on American soil.
The organization hopes the staff, relationships and expertise developed during the largest World Cup in history can become a lasting asset as North America increasingly becomes one of the sport’s most important markets.
CORRECTION: This report has been updated to correct the title of Heimo Schirgi.Politics
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