The FIFA World Cup 2026 New York New Jersey (NYNJ) Host Committee announced the continued growth of its business team, including the addition of sports business leader Roger Kamau as chief financial officer, alongside Robert Long as comptroller and Michael Verna as vice president of partnership marketing.
“We’ve been assembling a world-class leadership team whose expertise spans sports, finance, and marketing,” said NYNJ Host Committee Chief Executive Officer Alex Lasry. “Roger, Robert, and Michael are unique additions to the talented team already in place, and together, they will help us deliver an unforgettable World Cup experience for the NYNJ region and the world.”
As CFO, Kamau will oversee the Host Committee’s finances, managing revenue from corporate partnerships as well as the organization’s overall budget. Kamau joins the NYNJ Host Committee from the Milwaukee Bucks, where he served as senior vice president of financial strategy and analysis. In that role, he led financial analysis for the team, spearheaded strategic growth initiatives, and oversaw financial operations across arena events, food and beverage, and real estate development. Earlier in his career, Kamau worked in Citi’s Global Investment Banking unit in New York, focusing on media and telecommunications clients.
Long will serve as the Host Committee’s comptroller, overseeing the organization’s financial reporting, compliance, and internal controls. With over 40 years of experience across the private sector, government, nonprofits, and campaigns, Long brings deep expertise in financial management and operational oversight. Notably, he also served as a member of the FIFA World Cup™ 1994 NYNJ Host Committee.
Verna will serve as the Host Committee’s vice president of partnership marketing, supporting the Committee’s co-branded partner campaigns, to ensure that the Committee’s voice and those of its sponsors breaks through to key audiences. Verna previously served as Vice President of Partnership Management for the New York Islanders and UBS Arena, where he was responsible for guiding and activating partnerships under the team and arena. Beforehand, he spent over a decade with Madison Square Garden Company in similar roles.