Broward cities want their ‘fair share’ of FIFA World Cup hype
Miami is an official host city for the FIFA World Cup, but Broward County wants to be part of the party, too.
Broward-area elected officials announced “Broward Welcomes the World,” a six-week regional initiative meant to boost tourism, community engagement and local businesses with several events, cultural performances and soccer matches. Participating cities include Lauderhill, Hollywood, West Park, Lauderdale Lakes and North Lauderdale.
The regional World Cup programming kicks off with free events this weekend featuring live music, food vendors and local soccer games, including the Caribbean Americas Soccer Association finals match between Jamaican and Haitian teams.
“This is bigger than soccer,” said Lauderdale Lakes Commissioner Easton Harrison at a press conference at Lauderhill City Hall Thursday morning. “This is about the economic growth and the economic impact that this county will be able to receive. This is about the local businesses, the restaurants, the entrepreneurs, all of us really getting our fair share being a part of this impact coming to Broward County.”
It makes sense for Broward to want a piece of the proverbial World Cup pie. The Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, known as the Miami Stadium during the World Cup, is physically closer to Broward than it is to downtown Miami. A 2024 economic impact study commissioned by FIFA found that the seven World Cup games hosted at the Hard Rock could generate an estimated $1.3 billion in economic impact for the Miami metro area. And Broward is home to a large and growing Caribbean population, including a proud Haitian community, which will be cheering on Haiti’s historic appearance at this year’s World Cup.
The timing is right, too, Harrison noted. June is Caribbean American Heritage Month.
“As my mom used to always say, when you have guests, make sure you’re on your best behavior and you treat them right,” Harrison said. “Because we really have a chance to show the world who Broward County is, and put Broward on the map. Miami is doing amazing things, but Broward can do just that... if not better.”
Lauderhill Mayor Denise Grant said the “Broward Welcomes the World” initiative is a “a pledge to unite our communities and to celebrate diversity and position Lauderhill and Broward County, as a whole, as a premier destination for culture, for sports, for tourism, and opportunity.”
On Saturday starting at 3 p.m., the Lauderhill Sports Complex is hosting a soccer tournament with food trucks, a vendor marketplace and live music by Jahshii and Laa Lee. On Sunday starting at noon is the Broward Welcomes the World: Signature Kick Off at the Central Broward Park and Broward County Stadium, another full day of soccer and music. There will be a youth soccer event at 1 p.m. and performances by Wayne Wonder and Spragga Benz starting at 10 p.m.
“Those who did not know about the various cities in Broward County, they will know,” said Lauderhill Vice Mayor Richard Campbell. “And they will be eager to visit us knowing that there’s a good vibe that is here in Broward County.”
Elected officials, many of whom are of Jamaican or Haitian descent, indulged in some light-hearted smack-talk leading up to the finals of the Caribbean Americas Soccer Association, a local league. Maybe the Haitian national team’s blowout win over New Zealand in Tuesday’s friendly game will give the Haitian Masters team a morale boost before they take on Jamaican Masters on Sunday.
“That was not a World Cup game,” joked Campbell, who is Jamaican. “It was good. I’m just appealing to you guys to calm down.”
If you go
What: Broward Welcomes the World: Signature Kick Off Event
When: June 7. Doors open at noon. Soccer matches start at 5 p.m. Live music at 10 p.m.
Where: Central Broward Park and Broward County Stadium. 3700 NW 11th Place, Lauderhill
Info: Free tickets and full schedule available at https://www.lauderhill-fl.gov/news-and-events/broward-welcomes-the-world