Spain could lose up to 30 per cent of the $50 million prize money awarded for winning the 2026 FIFA World Cup to United States taxes, according to reports citing American tax laws on foreign athletes.
Under US regulations, income earned from activities in the country is generally taxable, with payments to non-resident athletes subject to a 30 per cent federal withholding tax unless exempted by treaty. The champions are set to receive around $34 million from FIFA’s record prize fund.
Republican Congressman Tim Burchett described the potential burden as excessive. “I think it’s a rip-off,” he said. “I’m not a fan of it, but Americans have to do it. American professional athletes do it, so they knew that when they came over here.”
Burchett argued for a better system. “We want to encourage these people to come over here and spend their money, and then we take a big chunk of it. We’ve got to get a better tax system,” he added.
ANN Analysts noted that unlike previous hosts, the US did not grant broad tax exemptions to players.
State taxes in venues like New Jersey and California could push the total burden even higher for the Spanish squad.
