VANCOUVER, B.C.: The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is calling on the city of Vancouver and province of B.C. to control skyrocketing costs for hosting just seven FIFA 2026 World Cup games. 

“Mayor Ken Sim and Premier David Eby have scored a financial own-goal when it comes to hosting less than seven per cent of the 2026 World Cup,” said Carson Binda, British Columbia Director for the CTF. “The more money that’s wasted on FIFA, the less money that can support British Columbians.”

In 2022, the province pegged the cost of hosting a few World Cup games at $240 million to $260 million. That figure has now more than doubled to $483 million to $581 million. 

“It’s unacceptable that the province and the city have more than doubled the costs to host just a few soccer matches,” said Binda. “The province is playing fast and loose with their financial projections.

“Sim and Eby need to be honest about how much FIFA is really going to cost taxpayers.”  

The money that’s been set aside for FIFA could pay the salaries of more than 855 teachers for a decade, build 17 schools, or cut taxes on struggling families and small businesses. 

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