Some people question FIFA World Cup benefits, while Eby says Vancouver could host more matches
CBC
Premier David Eby says B.C. is able to host more than the seven 2026 FIFA World Cup matches planned for Vancouver, even as questions mount over transparency and the tournament's economic benefits.
B.C. organizers announced on Tuesday that the cost estimate of hosting the games increased to between $532 million and $624 million. That's up from a 2024 estimate of between $483 million and $581 million.
B.C.'s government justified the cost increase, saying the matches — part of the tournament being co-hosted by the U.S. and Mexico — will lead to more than one million additional out-of-province visitors between 2026 and 2031, generating more than $1 billion in additional visitor spending.
But an economist and a pollster are questioning the benefits for B.C.
Meanwhile, Eby said the province would be eager to take on more of the World Cup matches if any are reassigned from other host cities.
His remarks come amid growing concerns around the U.S. as a co-host nation. Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have raised "grave concerns" about the tournament being held there, and questions have surfaced over whether international fans will face barriers due to U.S. immigration policies.
Eby made the comments Friday while answering questions from reporters at a signing ceremony at the Musqueam soccer field near Southwest Marine Drive, where the provincial government, the City of Vancouver, and three local First Nations formalized their agreement to co-operate on hosting duties.
"Additional games in British Columbia would not only be possible, but they would be incredibly welcome," Eby said.
"We've actually written to FIFA to say if for whatever reason they need to move games from any other locations, British Columbia stands ready to host," he said. "We can move quickly. We have an amazing team and we are ready to host additional games here in this beautiful province."
Eby added many of the big expenses for hosting the FIFA World Cup like upgrades to B.C. Place Stadium are already being paid for and won't increase if more games are added.
"In terms of the budget, a lot of the costs for FIFA are fixed costs related to upgrades ... which means that additional games bring in additional ticket revenue, additional revenue for the province," he said.
But a pollster says the economic benefits of the tournament may not be known for decades, given some of the files from the organizing committee of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics are still sealed.
"I understand the frustration completely, because here we are almost a couple of decades out of the Vancouver Winter Olympics and we don't have a full accounting of what happened," said Mario Canseco, the president of the polling firm Research Co.
Polling done by Canseco over the last few years has revealed general support for hosting the World Cup, but the pollster noted that many people "had a bad taste in their mouths" over the Olympics' legacy in the city.
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