Under the cloud of Trump tariffs, taxpayer-subsidized FIFA seeks furniture, fixtures and equipment for 2026 World Cup
Procurement document contains no requirement or preference to buy Canadian.
FIFA is in the market for 81,707 pieces of furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) in Vancouver and Toronto at the same time businesses are bracing for Trump tariff price hikes.
In a May 1 request for information, the 2026 World Cup organization says it is looking for suppliers to provide “seating, tables, shelving, storage, appliances and other” items.
“Our goal is to reduce unnecessary purchases, maximize reuse, and work with rental suppliers experienced in large-scale projects across Canada,” the document says.
FIFA wants to understand market offerings and identify potential suppliers, gain insights into available products, evaluate potential suppliers and assess sustainability practices and dissolution options. The document contains no requirement or preference to buy Canadian.
The event logistics department’s tasks include customs and international freight forwarding, material operations and handling, distribution, warehousing, venue operations and team equipment movement operations.
FIFA is looking to rent, buy or both. Additionally, it ponders a scheme for a supplier to buy back FF&E at pre-set prices or to offer a dissolution plan. FIFA wants to avoid the problem faced by VANOC, the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics organization. It spent several months after the 2010 Games flogging thousands of surplus items.
“Specifications, descriptions, quantities, and images provided in the product list are preliminary.” Deadline for companies to respond is June 15. The tournament kicks off 361 days later.
The FIFA wish list of 176 categories includes:
Disposable Rain Poncho
“Individually packaged, clear, single-use poncho with no logos.”
Quantity: 24,496
Plastic Folding Chair
“Lightweight, durable folding chair with a flat design, stackable for easy storage and transport.”
Quantity: 8,719
Locker Padlock
“Key-controlled spare combination padlock compatible with supplied lockers and cabinets.”
Quantity: 6,000
Ballpen
“Retractable ballpen medium tip: 0.7-1.0mm. Ink colour: blue.”
Quantity: 3,242
Barrier with Belt
“Crowd control black post with a retractable belt. Black belt 2 inches wide. Belt length: up to 10 feet. Heavy base with diameter: 14 inches. Unit of measurement is pair - 2 barriers.
Quantity: 2,450.
FIFA also wants to buy eight table tennis racquet and ball sets, eight mobile foldable table tennis tables and 20 football tables “designed for lounges, providing entertainment and relaxation. Includes a spare ball set for continuous play.”
Toronto taxpayers are spending $380 million on six matches between June 12 and July 2, 2026 and Vancouver up to $581 million on seven matches from June 13 to July 7, 2026. Public Safety Canada has refused to disclose its budget.
Both cities are also hosting fan festivals that run the duration of the tournament, which ends July 19, 2026 in New Jersey.
However, FIFA is bringing its 76th annual congress to Vancouver beginning April 30, 2026, meaning the earliest start to festivities of the 16 host cities in Canada, Mexico and U.S.
Thanks so much for the breakdown of FIFA gear requirements. How many coaches, teachers and event planners have worked out lists like these and then went begging, borrowing and stealing to procure what they needed? And then made do with what they could cobble together by opening time? Cities and countries are contractually obligated to cover all FIFA's costs. They'll get their order fulfilled without any question about cost. So I expect your story on the City's storage expenses for the surplus items in this likely inflated inventory (esp ponchos and chairs) is already writing itself.