FIFA Expands Its Miami Office Space As Workers Relocate From Zurich
FIFA is growing in Miami ahead of the 2026 World Cup, but it plans to stay long after the tournament is over.
Soccer’s international governing body leased another full floor to expand its recently opened office at 396 Alhambra Circle in Coral Gables, a spokesperson for Blanca Commercial Real Estate, which handles leasing at the property, confirmed.
Bloomberg first reported the new deal, citing anonymous sources.
FIFA, headquartered in Zurich, already has around 350 staff working out of the office, and around 100 will stay after the World Cup, according to Bloomberg. The Miami Dolphins’ Hard Rock Stadium is set to host seven World Cup matches when the tournament kicks off in June 2026.
The rest of the tournament's 104 games are to be played across the U.S., Mexico and Canada, with MetLife Stadium in New Jersey winning an intercity fight to host the World Cup final that included a pitch from Miami officials.
FIFA was first rumored to be considering a Miami office in June 2023 and ultimately signed a 60K SF deal in September at the Alhambra Circle property, which consists of a 15-story and seven-story building with a combined 282K SF of office space and 31K SF of ground-floor retail.
The 15K SF expansion lease brings FIFA’s footprint at the property to 75K SF, according to the Blanca spokesperson. The latest deal gives it four floors across the property’s towers, which are owned by Agave Holdings, a development group that includes the family behind the Jose Cuervo spirits business.
FIFA is permanently moving its entire legal department and its audit, compliance and risk management teams from Zurich to Miami. The office will also serve as FIFA’s corporate base of operations during the monthlong World Cup, with President Gianni Infantino expected to relocate to the city ahead of the tournament.
The Coral Gables office will become FIFA’s U.S. headquarters after the tournament, Bloomberg previously reported, positioning the international federation’s outpost as a gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean.
FIFA didn’t respond to Bisnow’s request for comment.
Coral Gables has become a prime neighborhood for office users looking for quality assets in a less dense corridor than Miami’s traditional office markets of Downtown and Brickell. Coral Gables Mayor Vince Lago personally spoke with FIFA executives to lure them to the city, he said at a Bisnow event in May.
Class-A asking rents in Coral Gables were $55.31 per SF at the end of the second quarter, just above Miami-Dade County’s average but priced significantly lower than Miami’s urban core and Miami Beach, according to Cushman & Wakefield.
An online listing for 396 Alhambra Circle lists 50K SF of available space priced between $54 per SF and $58 per SF. The LEED Gold-certified building includes a rooftop terrace and ground-floor courtyard.
FIFA’s expansion in Miami follows the arrival of soccer legend Lionel Messi at MLS’ Inter Miami. The Argentine phenom’s contract with the team created a fervor in the city, which has a population that is 69% Hispanic or Latino.
Ticket prices skyrocketed for Inter Miami games, restaurants and bars added Messi-themed menu items, and South Floridians prowled the aisles of their local Publix hoping to catch Messi and his family grocery shopping.
Inter Miami broke ground last year on a sprawling new stadium complex called Miami Freedom Park. The 25,000-seat stadium is slated to deliver in early 2026. It’s unclear if Messi will ever play on the new pitch because his $150M deal with Inter Miami runs through 2025 with an option for 2026.
