The Canadian Taxpayers Federation (CTF) has called on Vancouver city council and the British Columbia government to control skyrocketing costs for hosting seven FIFA World Cup games in 2026. CTF BC Director Carson Binda said Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim and Premier David Eby “have scored a financial own-goal when it comes to hosting less than 7% of the 2026 World Cup.”“The more money that’s wasted on FIFA, the less money that can support British Columbians,” said Binda in a Tuesday press release. In 2022, the BC government pegged the cost of hosting a few World Cup games at $240 million to $260 million. That figure has more than doubled to $483 million to $581 million. The CTF said the money set aside for FIFA could pay the salaries of more than 855 teachers for a decade, build 17 schools, or cut taxes for families and small businesses. Binda concluded by saying it is “unacceptable that the province and the city have more than doubled the costs to host just a few soccer matches.”“The province is playing fast and loose with their financial projections,” he said. “Sim and Eby need to be honest about how much FIFA is really going to cost taxpayers.”FIFA announced the 2026 World Cup host cities in 2022, and Vancouver made the cut. READ MORE: Vancouver will host FIFA World Cup matches in 2026All matches in Vancouver will be held at BC Place.Toronto made the cut, but Edmonton was snubbed.
