Council Member Thomas-Henry calls on FIFA to honor World Cup legacy contribution

Thank you, Councilmember.

Councilmember Thomas Henry, followed by Banks.

Thank you, Majority Leader.

We can all agree that summer 2026 will go down in history, but at the heart of it was New York welcoming the world.

We opened our city, supported public safety and transportation, hosted watch parties, and invested nearly $90 million to make sure that the biggest sporting event in the world could have a home here in New York.

But hosting an event of this magnitude cannot simply be about what New York gives.

What my colleagues and I have been shouting from the rooftop is, how would an event of this magnitude benefit New Yorkers?

FIFA reportedly committed to providing host cities with a million-dollar legacy contribution to support soccer pitches and other community projects.

That's $1 million invested directly back into our communities.

That's a goal we hope all private partners will commit to.

But now with an estimated $15 billion in FIFA revenue, we have to ask, what happened to the million dollars?

That money should have translated to the young person in Corona who deserves a safe field to play on.

That money could have translated to park preservation where so many of our families celebrated this tournament together.

And of course, it must translate to the small businesses and neighborhoods who preserve the culture and vibrancy of our corridors.

My resolution 655 is simple.

FIFA must honor its commitment and deliver a million-dollar legacy contribution promised to New York City.

I urge my colleagues to support this.

Resolution.

And last but not least, happy birthday, Parker.

Mommy loves you.