Brazil 2014: Spanish government to consider taxing players' bonuses

The Spanish government is currently considering ways to force the national team’s players participating in the 2014 World Cup (Brazil, from the 12/06 to the 13/07/2014) to pay in Spain the income tax on bonuses they will receive from the RFEF (Royal Spanish Football Federation) after the competition, said the Spanish press, on the 20/01/2014.

Spain won the World Cup (2010) and two Euros (2008 and 2012). In 2010, all 23 world champions received a € 600,000 bonus from the RFEF. Most players chose to declare that income in South Africa, host country of the World Cup, where the maximum income tax rate is 21%, against 43% in Spain that year. This enabled them to save € 132,000 each.

The Spanish law allows Spanish athletes to report their income in the country where they play.

• In Austria (2008), Spanish players have each earned € 100,000 and benefited from a 20% tax rate.
• In Poland (2012), the European champions have each received € 300,000 from the Federation, on which they should have paid a 20% tax (€ 60,000), but the Polish government exempted them from paying any tax.
  • "Roja…