B.C. Premier hopeful 2026 FIFA World Cup in Vancouver will boost economy

B.C.’s Premier is hoping the Canadian soccer craze will pay off down the line when Vancouver hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

While he understands people’s anxiety about hosting a large event amid economic uncertainty, John Horgan told CityNew’s sister station, Sportsnet 650, that the boost to the tourism sector will help the economy.

“To have people coming to B.C. Place means there’s more revenue there for other events. It allows people to feel more comfortable getting into large crowds — all of those things coming out of COVID are really important. So there’s an immediate benefit from that,” he said.

But a majority of the cash will roll in when tourists make it into the province to watch the games in 2026.

“The friendlies will be important for the local economy, but filling up hotel rooms, restaurants, bars, other venues, other tourist attractions as people come to B.C.,” he said.

The province is consulting with the B.C. Hotel and Tourism Association, “to find ways for those people who are coming to enjoy the games at B.C. place will be offsetting the costs of putting them on.”

“There’s a whole bunch of tools at our disposal, and we’re working with the community and those that will benefit hoteliers, tourism operators, and so on to find a way to do that,” Horgan added.

He says ticket sales at B.C. Place — a provincial asset — plus more tourists coming in will make for a worthwhile investment on the province’s part.

Vancouver councillor Jean Swanson has been vocal about her opposition to World Cup, saying the money spent should go toward addressing affordability challenges and the climate crisis.

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B.C. Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, and Sport Melanie Mark has previously said B.C. is “ready to welcome the world” and that as minister, her duty is to be a good “steward of the public purse.”

“When the economy’s thriving, we have more resources to invest in housing and infrastructure — which my colleagues are already doing. I recognize that people may see this as a lot of money upfront. We’re getting estimates of $240 million to $260 million. But we’re also hearing from Destination B.C., B.C.’s Crown agency, and B.C. Stats, that we could be generating $1-billion,” Mark said, prior to Vancouver officially being named a host city.

Toronto was named the other Canadian host city and will split Canada’s ten games. The 2026 World Cup will also be played in Mexico and the U.S. There are a total of 80 games to be divvied up between Canada, the U.S., and Mexico for the tournament.

– With files from Mike Halford and Jason Brough with Sportsnet 650