Less than a year until FIFA 26, more costs for British Columbians
Bill for hosting seven World Cup matches, fan fest and FIFA meetings now up to $624 million, with higher costs likely.
The cost of hosting FIFA World Cup 26 in Vancouver has increased again — up to 140% higher than the original 2022 estimate.
In April 2024, the B.C. NDP government estimated it would cost $483 million to $581 million to stage seven matches at B.C. Place Stadium and a Fan Festival at the PNE in June and July of 2026. Vancouver will also host the 76th FIFA Congress in April 2026.
In a background report linked to a June 24 tourism ministry news release, the NDP government said the new estimate is $532 million to $624 million. That includes direct costs of $261 million to $281 million to City of Vancouver, but not the $135 million to build the Freedom Mobile Arch amphitheatre at the PNE.
Further increases are possible, according to the five-page, cost update background report.
“Updates to hosting requirements, confirmation of which teams will play here, finalizing the FIFA Fan Festival and updating safety and security plans will help to further refine the gross core cost estimate range,” said the report, which does not contain an author’s name. “Gross core cost estimates have assumed a general inflation rate of 3% per year for operating costs and 6% per year for capital costs. In addition, the gross core cost estimate includes contingency allocations of up to 25% for operating and capital costs to account for normal risks.”
The province says there are $145 million in contingencies built-in and it assumes raising $250 million to $260 million in a 2.5% City of Vancouver hotel room tax through 2030.
When Vancouver was named one of 16 FIFA host cities in 2022, the province estimated the cost total $240 million to $260 million.
Now, the province estimates that, after revenues and recoveries, the net cost could be $85 million to $145 million. But that is also subject to change, due to inflation, supply chains and less-than-expected revenue from the host city commercial program, which offers local sponsorship packages beginning at $195,000.
There is another, big question mark.
The province and City of Vancouver need more from the federal government than the $116 million already promised. Public Safety Canada has refused to disclose to theBreaker.news its budget for World Cup safety and security and other federal services in Vancouver and Toronto.
“The province and its partners anticipate that the federal government will be a full partner in helping to manage and fund extraordinary risks that materialize for the FIFA World Cup 26 event, such as potential global economic downturns, natural disasters like fires and floods and increasing threat levels from rising geopolitical tensions,” the backgrounder says.