Huge Disagreement Between FIFA And Stan Kroenke May Lead To Change In World Cup Hosting Site

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is still a few years away, but there's already a potentially significant issue brewing with one of the host sites.

In June 2022, the Los Angeles Rams announced that SoFi Stadium was set to be a host for the World Cup, one of 11 U.S. venues chosen out of 16 total cities in North America.

But those plans may now be on the rocks, thanks to a significant disagreement between Rams owner Stan Kroenke and FIFA.

According to a new report from The Athletic, Kroenke and his organization, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment (KSE), are extremely unhappy about the financial arrangement set out by FIFA. And they're so unhappy, they may be willing to walk away from hosting entirely.

The disagreement stems from the revenue sharing setup, essentially, how the money is distributed between FIFA, the cities and the World Cup stadiums. Unsurprisingly, given the popularity of the event and massive fan and sponsorship interest in a U.S. based tournament, revenues are expected to be massive.

And Kroenke reportedly believes that FIFA is trying to keep too much of it.

INGLEWOOD, CA - SEPTEMBER 17: A view of SoFi Stadium during the game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams on September 17, 2023 in Inglewood, California. The 49ers defeated the Rams 30-23. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)

Could Los Angeles Lose Its World Cup Spot?

Los Angeles is one of the country's biggest markets for soccer, and hosting matches at its signature venue is a priority for FIFA and the city.

If KSE is seriously considering backing out, it'd raise questions about where the tournament would move to. The Rose Bowl has previously hosted World Cup matches, but despite updates, doesn't have the same modern amenities as SoFi.

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum could also be an option, but has a smaller seating capacity, considering SoFi can expand far beyond its 70,000 configuration.

Los Angeles FIFA World Cup Host Committee did issue a statement to The Athletic about the report, saying: “We are proud to be the Los Angeles Host Committee for the FIFA World Cup 2026. Since being announced as a host city, we have been working closely with FIFA on many aspects of the event."

"The information you have shared does not accurately reflect the content of those ongoing, collaborative conversations. Kroenke Sports & Entertainment is an invaluable partner for Los Angeles."

“Besides having the premiere venue in the world, KSE continues to provide incredible support to our committee. With KSE as a partner, Los Angeles will deliver to the highest standard on the world stage.”

There's plenty of time to figure out a solution, if there is a serious problem between World Cup organizers and KSE. But if not, LA may either be forced to look elsewhere or risk losing its host city status. Given the World Cup branding was announced in LA, that's not what anyone wants.