Most residents of Canada's two World Cup host cities believe the massive public cost of staging FIFA World Cup matches is not worth the promised economic benefits.The Angus Reid Institute found that 70% of respondents in the Greater Toronto Area and 72% in Metro Vancouver say the roughly $1 billion in public spending committed by various levels of government in each city is not justified by the benefits of hosting the event.The findings suggest growing skepticism among residents despite years of assurances from politicians that the tournament would generate economic activity, tourism and international exposure for both cities.Among the chief concerns cited by respondents were traffic disruptions, road closures, security restrictions and what many viewed as excessive demands imposed by FIFA as a condition of hosting matches.Many residents also objected to the distribution of revenues associated with the tournament, with critics arguing FIFA receives the lion's share of financial benefits while local taxpayers shoulder much of the cost.The poll found enthusiasm for the event remains relatively limited in both cities.In Metro Vancouver, 51% of respondents said they are not interested in watching World Cup matches in any capacity, compared to 34% who said they are excited about the tournament coming to the city.In the Greater Toronto Area, disinterest was even higher, with 59% saying they do not plan to follow the matches, compared to 39% who expressed excitement about hosting the event..When asked whether hosting the World Cup represented good value for taxpayers, respondents were far more likely to view it negatively than positively.In Toronto, 47% said hosting the tournament was a poor use of public funds, compared to just 20% who described it as a worthwhile expenditure.Similar results were recorded in Vancouver, where 51% called it a poor use of money and only 21% viewed it as a good decision.The survey also found widespread doubts about whether taxpayers will ever receive a full accounting of the final costs.Only one-third of respondents in each city said they believe municipal governments will be completely transparent once all tournament expenses are tallied. Just 33% of Toronto respondents and 32% of Vancouver respondents expressed confidence that the full cost of hosting would be publicly disclosed.The findings underscore the political risks facing municipal leaders who championed the World Cup bid and defended escalating budgets as necessary spending to secure one of the world's largest sporting events.With matches about to begin, many residents appear unconvinced that the economic payoff will justify the billions in public spending, disruption and concessions made to FIFA.
