Documents show that the N.Y./N.J. Host Committee “appears to have operated and solicited donations to support the 2026 World Cup soccer matches” for more than three years “without having filed legally required paperwork” with the N.J. attorney general, according to Wilson & Sobko of the Bergen DAILY RECORD. The host committee “did not register its 501(c)(6) nonprofit with the Division of Consumer Affairs in the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General until June 4, 2026 -- more than three years after the nonprofit was formed in February 2023.” Nelida O’Neill, who works in the AG’s charities registration and investigation section, “sent a ‘notice of unregistered charity’ to the host committee on April 7, 2026.” In addition, the host committee “made numerous errors on the paperwork it eventually submitted, such as missing documents and inaccurate information.” Attorney General’s Office spokesperson Michael Symons noted that the office is “seeking additional missing documents from the host committee’s paid fundraisers.” Host Committee spokesperson Natalie Hamilton said that the law requiring registration “applies only to 501(c)(3)s, and that they registered their 501(c)(3) fundraising arm,” the Welcome World Foundation, Inc (Bergen DAILY RECORD, 7/17).
N.Y./N.J. Host Committee operated years before registering
