Philadelphia needs money for World Cup security. Host cities will look to the Trump administration for help.

Philadelphia is among a handful of 2026 FIFA World Cup host cities asking the federal government for millions of dollars in security funding, according to filings registered on the U.S. Senate lobbying disclosure site.

Eleven U.S. cities are preparing to host the sport’s premier tournament alongside Canada and Mexico next summer, drawing millions of spectators from around the world and putting serious strain on local law enforcement, hospitality, and transportation infrastructure.

Philadelphia will host five matches and an estimated 500,000 travelers, reaping what Philadelphia Soccer 2026 — the nonprofit committee organizing the city’s leg of the tournament — expects could be upward of $770 million in regional economic impact.

To that end, Philadelphia Soccer 2026 has sought nearly $10 million from Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration, including $3.5 million for improvements to Lemon Hill, the planned FIFA Fan Fest site in East Fairmount Park.

But local tax dollars will not be enough to cover the massive security response in many cities — including Philadelphia, according to a recent report in The Athletic.

The 2026 World Cup has already been called the “largest sporting event in history.” In a bipartisan letter submitted in Congress last year, members of the U.S. House of Representatives said that status comes with security concerns over threats related to mass gatherings.

In a bid for more security funding, host committees in Boston, Atlanta, New York, and elsewhere have enlisted Washington, D.C., lobbying firm Hogan Lovells to petition the federal government for $625 million to be distributed across the cities.

According to a lobbying disclosure report for the final fiscal quarter of 2024 viewed by The Inquirer, Philadelphia Soccer 2026, too, paid Hogan Lovells $10,000 for those services, lobbying members of the White House, the U.S. House and Senate, and Department of Homeland Security for funds that would benefit “increased security and emergency services” during the matches.

“Since 2022, under the previous administration, Philadelphia Soccer 2026 has been joined with the other 10 U.S. Host Cities in advocating for federal funding related to safety and security,” a spokesperson for the committee said in an email.

It is unclear how much funding the Philadelphia committee sought.

“This joint request is in-line with similar funding requests of federal partners for such national events,” the spokesperson said.

The City of Philadelphia itself is not engaged in any lobbying, according to Michael Newmuis, a member of the mayor’s office responsible for 2026 planning.

The city does, however, have representation on Philadelphia Soccer 2026; Jazelle Jones, the city’s director of the office of special events, sits on the board of directors, Newmuis said.

Initial reports suggest that World Cup host cities may need to spend north of $100 million each to run a successful tournament, and hosts are seeking support from city and state coffers to supplement funding from FIFA.

It is not uncommon for the federal government to dole out security funding for large public events, particularly ones that put the United States in the global spotlight.

Though presidential administrations have changed hands since Philadelphia Soccer 2026 began lobbying in 2022, host cities and lobbyists are continuing their campaign under the Trump administration.

Earlier this month, Trump signed an executive order assembling a World Cup task force that, according to a White House fact sheet, will help “maximize economic and cultural impact” and celebrate America’s role on the world stage.

Still, a White House spokesperson did not confirm to The Athletic whether the administration would grant the more than half-billion-dollar security proposal.

And Congress would need to include any such funding in the federal budget. Given the recent passage of a six-month spending package — without the requested World Cup security support — host cities and their lobbyists will need to secure that money before the next round of negotiations.

In November, a bipartisan group of representatives sent the House Appropriations Committee a letter urging them to consider the security proposal for the budget, citing broad support from local law enforcement, city governments, and security professionals.

U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean, a Democrat whose district covers the greater Philadelphia area and who sits on the House Appropriations Committee, told The Inquirer that she was advocating for the “essential” security funding with colleagues.

Members of Congress anticipate the spending request will ultimately go through the subcommittee on homeland security, which Dean is not a member of, as appropriations discussions ramp up this summer.

“The security of our communities is paramount,” Dean said in a statement. “I am confident that committee members on both sides of the aisle will come together in support of this critical issue.”

The World Cup isn’t the only logistical challenge Philadelphia faces next year.

The city will also host the nation’s 250th birthday celebration, the MLB All-Star game, and a slew of large summertime celebrations that include Pride and Juneteenth.

For those events combined, one Philadelphia Council member suggested the city would need a combined investment from city and state coffers that could near $100 million.