Bob Mackin
Two days after Mayor Ken Sim’s ABC majority city council passed the 2026 budget, Vancouver city hall released copies of invoices for its FIFA World Cup VIP ticket orders to theBreaker.news.
But city hall censored all the quantities and costs under freedom of information law sections intended to protect public body finances and third-party trade secrets.
In July, theBreaker.news exclusively reported that City of Vancouver set aside $13.4 million to buy tickets, suites and lounges from FIFA contractor On Location. The New York company is led by Donald Trump’s former agent Ari Emanuel and its minority shareholders include Trump’s Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon.
Thumbnails of the On Location invoices to City of Vancouver for FIFA World Cup 26 VIP tickets, lounges and suites at B.C. Place Stadium. (CoV/FOI)
Big order
The city’s June 12 order is so big, that it covers a dozen pages.
“Our [accounts payable] team reached out and asked for us to break each invoice into three instalments, without showing the grand total due,” wrote Alejandra Cerbon, the host committee finance lead, to Thibaut Aubin, the account manager with On Location.
Natasha Quereshniku, host city communications lead, told theBreaker.news in July that the host city commercial program team “plans to acquire select suites and lounge packages for resale to generate revenue to help offset event costs.”
Under the FIFA-approved, Host City Supporters/Host City Champions regional sponsorship program, suites and hospitality packages are for sale beginning at $195,000.
With 194 days until the first of seven B.C. Place matches, Vancouver city hall has not announced any sponsors under the programs.
Pricey
On Location’s website advertises tickets for the first B.C. Place match ranging from $2,950 to $6,750 each, depending on the stadium seat location and the quality of the lounge that is paired with the ticket.
For B.C. Place suites, it says “join waitlist.” In Seattle, a search on Dec. 1 said that six suites were available from US$46,200 for June 24. In Toronto, one was available on June 17 “starting at $198,490.”
Local quotas
FIFA allows host committees to buy 1.5% of the ticket inventory per hosted match.
“These tickets can be used to assist fundraising efforts and included as part of a host city supporter package (subject to applicable terms and conditions),” said the FIFA document. “Priority access will be provided before general public sale.”
Under a separate program, City of Vancouver gets 200 complimentary VIP tickets for each of B.C. Place match.
City hall also has access to four tickets to each semifinal and four to the final. Small print says those tickets are not available for public purchase and they cannot be resold.
Toronto transparency
Unlike Vancouver, Toronto city council has a FIFA World Cup 26 subcommittee that meets monthly in public.
The Dec. 2 agenda includes a recommendation to increase the temporary hospitality structures contract with Arena Event Services Inc. from $23 million to $25.06 million, “to be fully funded through contributions from Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (with no impact to the $380 million overall budget.”
The increase covers additional air conditioning, power, upgraded finishes, janitor closets and defibrillators.
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