World Cup
Heavy U.S. Tax Burden Looms Over African Teams at 2026 World Cup
As anticipation builds for the expanded 48-team 2026 FIFA World Cup across the United States, Canada and Mexico, a less visible but deeply consequential issue is casting a shadow over many participating nations—particularly from Africa and other developing regions.
Unlike previous tournaments, several of these countries are bracing for significant financial strain due to tax obligations in the United States, raising concerns that participation in football’s biggest spectacle could come at a high economic cost.
According to an investigation conducted by the UK publication, The Guardian, at the centre of the issue is the inability of FIFA to secure a blanket tax exemption agreement with the U.S. government for all participating nations. While FIFA itself enjoys tax-free status in the United States—a privilege dating back to the 1994 World Cup—this exemption does not extend to the 48 national associations competing this summer.
Unequal Playing Field Off the Pitch
The result is a stark imbalance. Only 18 of the qualified countries have double taxation agreements (DTAs) with the United States, shielding them from federal taxes. The majority of these are European nations, alongside a handful of others such as Egypt, Morocco, South Africa, Australia, Canada and Mexico.
For African teams without such agreements, including several debutants and smaller footballing nations, the financial implications could be severe. Countries like Haiti and Cape Verde, for instance, face the prospect of higher tax liabilities than traditional powers such as England or France, whose federations are protected by DTAs.
This disparity effectively creates a two-tier system—one where wealthier and more diplomatically connected nations incur lower operational costs, while less-developed football associations shoulder heavier financial burdens.
Development Funds at Risk
Tax experts warn that the consequences could extend far beyond the tournament itself. Oriana Morrison, a consultant who has advised several football federations, noted that the funds lost to taxation could have otherwise been reinvested in grassroots football development.
For many African federations, World Cup participation is not just about prestige but also about economic opportunity. Prize money and associated revenues often fund infrastructure, youth programmes and domestic leagues. However, with U.S. federal corporate tax set at 21% and top income tax rates reaching 37%, a significant portion of these earnings may be absorbed before they reach home federations.
Players and Coaches Also Affected
Even for countries with DTAs, relief is partial. Under U.S. law, athletes and coaches must still pay taxes on income earned while performing in the country. This means high-profile figures such as Carlo Ancelotti, currently managing Brazil, could face dual taxation—both in Brazil and the United States.
In contrast, managers like Thomas Tuchel of England benefit from more favourable arrangements, paying taxes only in their home country due to existing agreements.
While wealthier federations may absorb these additional costs, smaller associations—many of them from Africa—are unlikely to have such financial flexibility.
Rising Costs, Shrinking Support
Compounding the issue is FIFA’s fixed operational budget of $1.5 million per team, despite rising travel and accommodation costs in the United States. The daily allowance for delegation members has also been reduced from $850 at Qatar 2022 to $600 for 2026.
This stands in sharp contrast to the previous World Cup in Qatar, where all 32 participating nations were granted full tax exemptions by the host government, significantly easing financial pressure.
Geography Adds Another Layer
The tax burden is further complicated by variations across U.S. states. While Florida—host to matches in Miami—has no state tax, other venues come with steep rates. New Jersey, where the final will be held at MetLife Stadium, imposes a 10.75% state tax, while California, host to games in Los Angeles and San Francisco, has rates as high as 13.3%.
Canada and Mexico, the co-hosts, have offered full tax exemptions, meaning teams playing group matches there could avoid some of the financial strain.
A Tournament of Opportunity—Or Inequality?
For African teams, the expanded World Cup was meant to be a gateway to greater representation and opportunity on the global stage. However, the emerging tax realities threaten to dilute those gains.
With FIFA reportedly working behind the scenes to provide guidance and support, the broader concern remains unresolved: that the financial rewards of World Cup participation may not be evenly shared.
For many of Africa’s representatives, the challenge in 2026 will not only be to compete on the pitch—but to navigate an off-field financial landscape that could significantly impact the future of their football development.
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Iran’s national soccer team, currently training in Tijuana, Mexico, will be able to enter the U.S. the day before each of their three World Cup matches, the Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday.
Media reports over the weekend had quoted the Iranian ambassador to Mexico, Abolfazl Pasandideh, as saying that Iran’s team would have to enter and leave the U.S. the same day as they were playing, raising questions over logistics and whether it would affect team performance.
It was not the case that Iran would be forced to arrive the same day as their matches, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said.
“These statements are untrue,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “Thanks to the generosity of President (Donald) Trump, the Iranian team will be able to arrive the day before their matches.”
The ambassador, speaking to Reuters in Tijuana via an interpreter on Monday, criticised U.S. officials for denying visas to some of the Iranian football federation staff but said that the ones that had been granted did not prevent them from staying overnight.
“Their visas don’t specify anything about them having to leave at a certain time,” he said.
After weeks of uncertainty, the U.S. awarded visas to all the players on Friday, just 10 days before their first match.
But several members of the Iranian squad were not given visas, including “key managerial and administrative members,” according to Iran’s football federation. They include the team manager, two team analysts, the media director and a representative of the Foreign Ministry, according to Iran’s embassy in Mexico.
Iran is due to face New Zealand in Los Angeles on June 15, Belgium in Los Angeles on June 21 and Egypt in Seattle on June 26. The players were originally slated to train in Arizona, but that was changed after the U.S. and Israel launched a war against Iran in February.
Trump said in March that Iran was welcome to participate in the World Cup but that he did not believe it was appropriate for Iran’s team to stay in the U.S. “for their own life and safety.”
-Reuters
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FIFA has expressed disappointment over the inability of Somali referee Omar Abdulkadir Artan to participate in the FIFA World Cup after United States immigration authorities denied him entry into the country.
The world football governing body confirmed on Monday that Artan, who had been selected among the match officials for the tournament, would be unable to join the World Cup refereeing team after efforts to resolve his immigration status proved unsuccessful.
“FIFA is not involved in host country immigration processes, including visa adjudications, and has been informed by authorities that Mr Artan’s status will not be changed at present,” a FIFA spokesperson said.
The decision means Artan, who was poised to become the first Somali referee to officiate at a World Cup match, will miss the competition that kicks off on Thursday in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Sources familiar with the situation said FIFA had been in contact with relevant authorities after learning of the referee’s predicament but was ultimately informed that the decision would stand.
Artan arrived at Miami International Airport from Istanbul on Saturday and was denied entry after undergoing additional inspection by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
In a statement, CBP said a Somali national was deemed inadmissible because of vetting concerns, though it did not disclose specific details.
The incident has left FIFA without one of Africa’s most respected referees. Artan’s stock has risen significantly in recent years, culminating in his recognition as the Confederation of African Football’s Best Male Referee for 2025.
Last month, he took charge of the second leg of the CAF Champions League final in Morocco, one of the continent’s most prestigious club fixtures.
Despite the setback, Artan struck a positive note in a statement released after the decision.
“I would like to thank FIFA and CAF for all their support, and I promise to keep my refereeing levels up as I concentrate on the future,” he said.
“I want to thank the football family for their messages and wish my colleagues all the best of luck during the World Cup, and I look forward to joining them again in future competitions.”
The episode has drawn attention to immigration issues surrounding major international sporting events hosted by the United States. The Trump administration’s travel restrictions on citizens from several countries, including Somalia, had already prompted concerns among some stakeholders ahead of the tournament.
FIFA, however, reiterated that immigration matters remain the responsibility of national authorities and emphasized that it has no role in determining the admissibility of individuals entering host countries.
With the tournament set to begin this week, FIFA is expected to proceed with its officiating roster without Artan, while the Somali official turns his attention to future international assignments.
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England defender Djed Spence is set to take a page from Victor Osimhen’s playbook at the FIFA World Cup, revealing that he will wear a protective face mask throughout the tournament after suffering a broken jaw in the closing weeks of the Premier League season.
The Tottenham Hotspur defender joins a growing list of players who have continued competing while masked, most notably Nigeria’s star striker Victor Osimhen, whose black protective mask has become one of football’s most recognisable accessories since a serious facial injury suffered during his time at Napoli.
Spence sustained the injury in a collision with Chelsea forward Liam Delap last month but remains determined to play a full part in England’s World Cup campaign.
“It’s a little bit uncomfortable, but it is what it is,” Spence told reporters on Monday.
“I’ve got a broken jaw, so I have to wear it throughout the tournament. It’s something I will have to get used to. It’ll be three months until it’s fully healed, so it’s a long time.”
Like Osimhen, who returned to action wearing a mask after undergoing surgery for multiple facial fractures in 2021, Spence has shown little inclination to let the injury interrupt his football.
The defender even completed the match in which the injury occurred and later featured in Tottenham’s final league game against Everton while wearing the protective gear.
“It was painful, but luckily I play football with my feet and not my jaw. So I was all good,” Spence added.
Osimhen’s mask has become synonymous with resilience and determination. Since adopting it, the Nigerian international has gone on to establish himself among Europe’s most feared strikers, helping Napoli win the Serie A title and becoming a symbol of perseverance in the face of adversity.
Spence now hopes the mask will similarly prove no obstacle as England pursue World Cup glory in North America.
England begin their campaign against Croatia in Dallas on June 17 before facing Ghana and Panama in the remaining Group D fixtures.
While Spence’s protective gear may not yet be as iconic as Osimhen’s, the England defender will be hoping it brings the same good fortune that has accompanied the Nigerian striker’s remarkable rise over the past few years.
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