World Cup 2018 officials would nutmeg UK tax
World Cup staff from football's global governing body would be exempt from tax on income generated if the UK hosts the event in 2018
A deal which would gift football’s controlling body and employees tax
exemption in the event of England hosting the 2018 World Cup has been uncovered.
The tax guarantee gives Fifa, its staff and affiliates complete exemption
from any liabilities on income and expenditure related to the tournament,
leaving soccer’s governing body to rake in a healthy profit from a World Cup on
English soil,
the
Daily Telegraph reported.
In a document seen by the paper the details of Fifa’s demands were laid out.
Under “Government Guarantee No 3”, Fifa would receive a “full tax exemption.
”
“Fifa and/or Fifa subsidiaries, irrespective of whether resident in England
or not,” would also be fully exempt from any taxes, the document says.
The full tax exemption is not limited to the events and is not limited
time-wise. The exemption stated in this section shall encompass all revenues,
profits, income, expenses, costs, investments and any kind of payment in cash or
otherwise.”
The guarantee also covers individuals affiliated to Fifa or its member
associations “in relation to income, wealth, capital, property, social security,
gainful activity, dividends, capital gains, pension funds, input and export,
VAT, sales tax as well as interest and costs.”
The commitment, which is open-ended and covers all events related to the
World Cup, including the preliminary and final draw and the Confederations Cup
that would take place in 2017, also exempts any taxes “to be created in the
future”.
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