The 2026 World Cup is 21 months away and among the many things on the Miami Host Committee’s to-do list is to devise a plan to cover up Hard Rock signage on Hard Rock Stadium during the tournament.
FIFA, the world soccer governing body, prohibits corporate stadium names from companies that are not official FIFA sponsors, so existing stadium names will be covered during the World Cup and will not be mentioned in game broadcasts unless those companies sign separate sponsorship deals.
Hard Rock Stadium will be referred to as Miami Stadium. Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be Atlanta Stadium. AT&T Stadium will be Dallas Stadium. MetLife Stadium will be New York New Jersey Stadium. And so on.
“All branding and all signage has to be covered, those are the FIFA rules,” said Lisa Lutoff-Perlo, president and CEO of the Miami Host Committee, which hosted a kickoff event in Miami Beach on Tuesday night.
“There are restricted categories for sponsorships, but those only apply to our highest level of packages. We have lots of levels of donor sponsors and that field is wide open for everyone.”
Lutoff-Perlo and Rodney Barreto, the Miami Host Committee Co-Chair, said everything is going on schedule and fundraising is among the most pressing issues in the coming months.
“I know this is a World Cup, but if you could compare it to baseball and a baseball diamond, I’d say we’re just past first and we’re trying to steal second base,” Lutoff-Perlo said. “It’s 21 months away, but it will be here before we know it. This is the peak time for fundraising. It’s tough to raise money over the summer because everybody’s traveling and nobody’s paying attention. So, now, we’re fundraising in earnest. We’ve got all our sponsor packages and pricing set.”
Barretto said they are identifying and soliciting potential major sponsors.
“We’re working with FIFA, they have a lot of restrictions, but we’ve put together a Who’s Who of civic activism in this town, we’re all rolling up our sleeves and opening up our little black books,” Barreto said.
Hosting massive sporting events is nothing new to Barreto, who has worked on many Super Bowls in South Florida. But hosting seven World Cup matches is a bit different. “It’s seven Super Bowls in five weeks, so it’s a little overwhelming, there’s a lot of moving parts, different teams coming in, different practice fields, a lot of logistics,” he said. “But we’ll get through it. We’ve got a great team in place.”
The Host Committee is working in partnership with FIFA, which has a new headquarter office in Coral Gables, and also with state, county and city leaders.
The executive advisory board, led by Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, includes Broward County Mayor Nan Rich, Palm Beach County Mayor Maria Sachs, Monroe County Mayor Holly Merrill Raschein, Miami Gardens Mayor Rodney Harris, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner and State Senator and Miami-Dade Legislative Delegation Chair Ana Maria Rodriguez.
There also will be celebrity ambassadors promoting the event. Brazilian soccer star Ronaldinho was the first one announced Tuesday at the kickoff event.
“I have owned a home in Miami for many years, and my family has always liked Miami very much,” said Ronaldinho, the two-time FIFA Player of the Year and World Cup star. “I am very happy and honored for this invitation to be an ambassador. My entire life has been futbol, and I have seen the sport grow in this country, first with the Copa America and now with the World Cup, so I want to be part of this growth.”
The 2026 World Cup will be held June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Seven matches will be played at Hard Rock Stadium.. er, Miami Stadium, in Miami Gardens, including four group stage matches, a Round of 32 match, a quarterfinal and the bronze medal game.
For information about sponsorship and volunteer opportunities, visit www.MiamiFWC26.com. Ticket sales are expected to begin in 2025. To receive information on how to apply for tickets, register at FIFA.com
