Internet Slams Miami Mayor for World Cup Announcement

FIFA has declared Hard Rock Stadium as the location for seven games of the World Cup in 2026. Mayor Francis Suarez of Miami took this chance to express his excitement and share his role in enabling this opportunity for his city. In a video shared on X, earlier known as Twitter, Suarez shared, “Just a moment ago, FIFA announced that Miami will be hosting the bronze game for the World Cup in 2026. I’ve been part of the effort to draw this event to our city for a long time.” He walked proudly along the lines of making his city a global destination, promising more progress in 2026.
However, X platform users were aware that Hard Rock Stadium is situated in Miami Gardens, which is a separate city and 15 miles away from Miami City. Some users felt that Mayor Suarez was painting an unclear picture and should give credit to Miami Gardens Mayor Rodney Harris since Hard Rock Stadium is in his jurisdiction. One user pointed out, “The correct hosts of the game are Miami Gardens, not the City of Miami.” Others also called out Suarez, confirming that the stadium is indeed in Miami Gardens and wondering why Mayor Harris wasn’t making the announcement.
Mayor Suarez also highlighted other accomplishments for his city in the sports world, like the decision of soccer superstar Lionel Messi to join Inter Miami and FIFA’s location of its 60,000-square-foot local headquarters in Miami. He added, “This continuously reaffirms Miami’s place on the global map.” But contrary to Suarez’s claim, FIFA opened its headquarters for the 2026 World Cup in Coral Gables, not Miami. This discrepancy led one user to comment about Miami’s tendency to promote soccer games that are not held in Miami, labeling it as “Fraud City, USA.”
Inter Miami, part-owned by soccer legend David Beckham, currently plays at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale while waiting for the construction of the Miami Freedom Park stadium. Anticipated to open in 2025, the new stadium will be located at the former site of the Melreese Country Club. Suarez and Beckham publicized the project together in various public forums.
The announcement of the World Cup schedule was made a year and a half after FIFA’s decision to hold matches in Miami Gardens and Hard Rock Stadium was made public. Mayor Harris praised the decision, stating, “We maintain a solid relationship with Hard Rock Stadium and the Miami Dolphins, who have long called our city home. We are overjoyed that FIFA has selected our great city to be the host of the event.” The matches to be held in Miami include the World Cup bronze-medal game, a quarterfinals match, and several group stage matches. According to Suarez’s initial argument, Hard Rock Stadium is an appropriate venue due to its history of hosting notable international soccer games.