Bob Mackin
Only two tickets are available in the “wheelchair and easy access amenity” category during just one of the seven FIFA World Cup matches at B.C. Place Stadium.
On May 11, FIFA’s last-minute ticket sales website was offering the pair in blue-coded section 408 for the June 18 Canada versus Qatar match at $420 each.
theBreaker.news analyzed offerings with a month left until the World Cup kicks off. The spots in section 408 are the lowest-priced tickets available for any of the B.C. Place matches.
A closer look at the scarce space for wheelchair users during FIFA World Cup at B.C. Place Stadium. (FIFA ticketing)
The opening June 13 match between Australia and Turkey goes for $530 to $1,640 apiece.
Tickets for Canada and Qatar max out at $2,625 for one.
Canada’s only other match in the first round, versus Switzerland on June 24, is in one price category: $2,550.
The knockout round matches are July 2 ($750 to $2,700) and July 7 ($1,040 to $3,735).
Big bucks
Exorbitant ticket prices are the dominant controversy for the biggest World Cup in history, coming to the U.S., Canada and Mexico on June 11. Supporters groups have filed a lawsuit with regulators in Europe. Even President Donald Trump — recipient of FIFA’s Peace Prize — says World Cup tickets are not worth $1,000.
There are even pricier tickets at B.C. Place, but they’re paired with gourmet food and drinks. A ticket to the June 13 match, in “Lounge 1930,” is $4,850.
“Join waitlist” is under each luxury suite offering in Vancouver and Toronto.
By comparison, there is availability for every match in Seattle.
Four suites are available for June 15 (Belgium vs. Egypt), beginning at US$43,200, and two are available for June 19 (U.S. vs. Australia), from US$65,800.
They come with 12 tickets, premium food and beverage, a private restroom and access to a dedicated entrance.
“Enjoy a continuous flow of preset seasonal dishes paired with premium champagne, wine, beer, spirits, mocktails and a variety of soft drinks,” the On Location website reads.
City hall secrecy
Vancouver city hall budgeted $13.4 million to buy suites, lounges and VIP tickets, but the 2025 statement of financial information shows the city paid On Location just $600,386.
Staff in the city’s World Cup office refuse to explain whether last year’s sum was simply the deposit or how much city hall has spent in 2026.
The tickets, lounges and suites were supposed to be a revenue generator, to help pay for the cost of hosting. FIFA gave host cities up to 10 slots under a new host city sponsorship scheme, provided none of the local sponsors clashes with an existing FIFA partner.
Toronto signed-up Humber Polytechnic, Ontario Power Generation and Toronto FC.
Some of the most-expensive tickets in Vancouver are for Canada’s match against Switzerland. (FIFA tickets)
Vancouver’s website shows no sponsors.
On March 6, city hall’s Natasha Qereshniku said: “More details on the host city sponsorship program will be released later this month, and we’ll be able to address these questions at that time.”
Just over a month later, on April 13: “We will share updates when the agreements are finalized in the coming weeks.”
The most-recent answer, on April 27, came from another spokesperson, David Harrison.
“The FWC26 sponsorship program team is continuing to review the hospitality purchase opportunities. Due to its commercially sensitive nature, this information is not publicly available at this time,” Harrison said.
Solution for unsold tickets?
During the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, several municipalities in Metro Vancouver joined forces to promote the region. They lured investors with hospitality packages including event tickets.
The same could happen in June and July, when the B.C. government opens B.C. Business House at the Vancouver Convention Centre. It is built around themed economic development promotional events on the day before each match: tourism (June 12), energy (June 17), life sciences (June 19), mining (June 23), technology (June 25), agriculture and food (June 30) and trade and logistics infrastructure (July 6).
Pacific Economic Development Canada granted Metro Vancouver’s InvestVancouver agency almost $500,000 to be part of B.C. Business House.
Subscribe to theBreaker.news on Substack. Find out how: Click here.
