Bob Mackin
A May 20 report from the Parliamentary Budget Office (PBO) says estimates for FIFA World Cup 26 costs will soon be out-of-date.
“Based on the most recent information, PBO estimates total government support to co-host the 2026 FIFA men’s World Cup to be $1.06 billion of which federal support will be $473 million, with the remainder of $593 million funded by other levels of government,” said the report, delayed until after Annette Ryan’s April 22 appointment as the new Parliamentary Budget Officer.
PBO pegs the per-game cost at $82 million for 13 matches (seven in Vancouver and six in Toronto), but “updates to municipal and provincial spending plans may be announced in the coming weeks, implying changes to the expected costs for other levels of government.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney (left) and Premier David Eby on Sept. 17, 2025 in Ottawa. (CPAC)
In B.C., Premier David Eby has promised to update costs by the end of May. The spring session of the Legislature will end May 28. The tournament kicks off June 11.
Old numbers
The B.C. government’s June 2025 World Cup update showed City of Vancouver costs alone were estimated at $261 million to $281 million.
The overall provincial estimate ballooned 11 months ago to as much as $624 million.
In 2022, when Vancouver became one of the 16 host cities, the estimated cost of bringing the tournament to B.C. Place Stadium was $240 million to $260 million.
Top three
PBO says Canadian Heritage, which includes Sport Canada, is putting $220 million into the project for operations and infrastructure, including B.C. Place Stadium renovations.
Public Safety Canada ($145 million) and RCMP ($79 million) are the other top federal spenders.
X factors
While B.C.’s Office of the Auditor General kept tabs on costs for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics 20 years ago, it used Australia’s definition of Sydney 2000 Olympics costs as a baseline: “costs directly related to, or incurred in meeting, the obligations of the host city contract”
Under that definition, the PNE Amphitheatre could be a World Cup cost, pushing B.C.’s World Cup expenditures closer to $1 billion.
The new venue is the $183 million centrepiece of the FIFA Fan Festival watch parties at Hastings Park.
High prices, lower expectations
Destination Vancouver CEO Royce Chwin says he is “cautiously optimistic” of a last-minute surge in bookings. He told the Vancouver Sun that ”our booking pace is down about 20% compared to last year.”
In March, FIFA cancelled 15,000 nightly room bookings in Vancouver.
Cost-conscious fans are thinking twice about the World Cup across North America.
In Vancouver, the FIFA ticketing site offered only one price per ticket for Canada versus Switzerland on June 24: $2,550.
All-in rates for the J.W. Marriott Parq beside B.C. Place Stadium for the first match night, June 13, begin at $2,479 for one room with a king bed.
Impact?
College of the Holy Cross sports economics Prof. Victor Matheson in Worcester, Mass., has studied mega-events and concluded they never live up to the hype from politicians and the boosters reliant on taxpayer subsidies. World Cups, Olympics and Super Bowls tend to “supplant, rather than supplement, the regular tourist economy.”
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