Alford Announces DHS Releases World Cup Security Funding Following Republican Push

Washington, DC- Congressman Mark Alford (MO-04) announced today that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has begun releasing federal security funding for host cities of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including Kansas City, following a Republican push led by Alford earlier this week.

"Kansas City has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to host the world during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. We have been pushing for this funding to be released for some time, and earlier this week I led a letter urging DHS to move forward so our city can continue preparing the strong security operations this event requires. I'm glad to see this funding now moving forward in spite of the Democrats' reckless DHS shutdown, so our local leaders and law enforcement can finally have the resources they need to safely host this global event," said Congressman Mark Alford.

On March 10, Rep. Alford led a letter with Congressman Derek Schmidt (KS-02) urging DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to release the $625 million in federal security funding that Congress appropriated for World Cup host cities in the Working Families Tax Cut Law.

This funding is critical for security planning, personnel, equipment, and coordination between federal, state, and local law enforcement ahead of one of the largest international sporting events ever hosted in the United States.

Read the full letter to Secretary Noem here.

This critical funding was secured by Republicans through the Working Families Tax Cut Law to ensure host cities have the resources necessary to implement robust security operations.

Earlier this week, Alford and Schmidt warned that delays in the grant process were creating uncertainty for local officials responsible for coordinating security plans, contracting vendors, and preparing law enforcement operations ahead of the tournament.

Kansas City is one of the host cities for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is expected to bring millions of visitors to the United States.

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