Less than a year remains until the commencement of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and organizers in British Columbia have revised their cost projections for hosting seven matches in Vancouver to a range of $532 million to $624 million. This update represents an increase from the previous estimates made by the province, City of Vancouver, and PavCo, the Crown corporation overseeing B.C. Place stadium, which had pegged the costs between $483 million and $581 million last year.

The adjustments in the cost estimates are attributed to the evolving plans, particularly concerning aspects like safety, security, and transportation, as announced by the province. It is anticipated that the expenses will be mitigated by projected revenues and recoveries amounting to $448 million to $478 million, surpassing the figures from 2024.

The initial cost projection disclosed by the provincial government in January 2023 had outlined expenses of $230 million for hosting five World Cup games, with a significant portion allocated to event security. Subsequent estimates in 2024 and 2025 were revised following FIFA’s confirmation that Vancouver would host seven games during the tournament.

The province foresees that these matches will attract over a million additional visitors from out-of-province between 2026 and 2031, leading to more than $1 billion in supplementary visitor expenditures. According to Walt Judas, CEO of the Tourism Industry Association of B.C., this influx of global fans and visitors will bring tangible benefits to local tourism businesses and industry professionals.

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim affirmed that the city’s direct expenditures for security, transportation, and a fan festival are proceeding as planned, with no significant deviations from the budget projections of 2024. However, the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, advocating for lower taxes, criticized the spending, urging the province and the City of Vancouver to prioritize fiscal prudence over hosting a major sporting event.

Referencing research from Germany published in a peer-reviewed journal in 2019, the federation argued that hosting the FIFA World Cup may not be an effective strategy for promoting tourism. Vancouver and Toronto are the sole Canadian cities selected to host games during the 2026 World Cup, alongside 11 cities in the U.S. and three in Mexico.