2026 FIFA World Cup costs in Vancouver projected to reach up to $624 million
“Hosting FIFA World Cup 26 is an extraordinary opportunity to showcase our province to the world, and we are determined to do it in a way that reflects who we are and what we value,” said Spencer Chandra Herbert, B.C. minister of tourism, arts, culture and sport, in a statement.
25 per cent contingency fund
The further cost increases are attributed primarily to additional safety, security, and transportation expenses.
As well, the total costs are further inflated by including a generous 25 per cent contingency fund — an extra $145 million — for any unexpected costs that may arise.
Out of this total, the provincial government’s costs related to BC Place Stadium’s capital costs for upgrades and operational costs related to the tournament will range between $171 million and $181 million. This has changed from the previous April 2024 estimate of between $149 million and $196 million.
The City of Vancouver’s costs related to public safety, security, the provision of two team training sites, the staging of the five-week-long FIFA Fan Festival at the PNE fairgrounds, traffic management, and other costs will range between $261 million and $281 million. This is consistent with the previous April 2024 estimate of $246 to $276 million for the municipal government’s costs.
The municipal government has also set aside up to $30 million for a contingency fund to cover any unexpected costs related to building the new 10,000-spectator capacity PNE outdoor amphitheatre for its pivotal use during the FIFA Fan Festival, including construction cost inflation and any extra expenses to accelerate work to ensure the venue reaches completion in time. Plans to build the amphitheatre by Spring 2026 were already made before Vancouver was selected as a host city.
Construction progress on Freedom Mobile Arch, the new PNE amphitheatre, as of June 1, 2025. (Kenneth Chan)
TransLink and other public sector entities, including health services, will incur an additional $54 million to $64 million in costs. This is expected to support increased public transit service levels serving downtown Vancouver and the PNE fairgrounds at Hastings Park.
Another provincial government cost ranges between $46 million and $98 million for the “coordination of provincial essential services required to support the City and supporting First Nations’ capacity and participation.”
While the total cost is high in real numbers, they are relatively low when compared to previous FIFA World Cup tournaments, with other host cities in the past previously expending billions of dollars to build brand new stadiums, rail rapid transit, airport terminals, and accommodations.
In stark contrast, the hosting model for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is completely grounded on optimizing existing infrastructure. Although some venues will see upgrades, no new stadiums are being built in any of the 16 host cities in Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
City of Vancouver’s costs covered by temporary hotel room tax
“The City of Vancouver’s direct costs, including security, transportation, the FIFA Fan Festival and upcoming milestones remain on track, with no major changes from 2024’s budget projections,” said Ken Sim, the mayor of Vancouver.
“With less than a year to go until the world’s biggest sporting event arrives in Vancouver, we’re working hard to deliver a safe, memorable experience for residents, fans and visitors. We remain committed to managing costs responsibly while maximizing the long-term benefits for our community.”
The overwhelming majority of the City of Vancouver’s costs will be paid by visitors, not residents and businesses.
Since February 2023, an extra hotel tax — the additional 2.5 per cent Major Events Municipal and Regional District Tax — has been applied to all hotels and other short-term accommodation bookings within Vancouver’s municipal jurisdiction. It is estimated that this hotel tax, paid by visitors through 2030, will raise between $250 million and $260 million.
Such a revenue tally appears achievable. The temporary tax’s first year in 2023 — which was not a full calendar year, as it spanned 11 months from February to December — already collected $29.2 million.
Vancouver’s official 2026 FIFA World Cup countdown clock installed outside BC Place Stadium at Terry Fox Plaza. (Kenneth Chan)
The City will also see $52 million to $60 million from commercial revenues, such as sponsorship, facility rental fees, and other sources.
After the hotel tax and commercial revenues, the actual direct cost to the municipal government is expected to be in the range of $5 million.
There will also be $32 million to $40 million from other revenues related to transportation, stadium rental fees, and other recoveries, and the federal government is also providing $116 million.
At least $1 billion in economic benefits
This is Vancouver’s largest event since its hosting of the 2010 Winter Olympics. It also previously had a key role in the hosting of the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, with the city staging nine matches, including the championship final match.
The 54,500-seat BC Place Stadium, Canada’s flagship soccer/football stadium, will host a total of seven matches in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, including five group stage matches and two highly coveted knockout matches — a Round of 32 match and a Round of 16 match. Vancouver will host more matches than eight other host cities, including Toronto.
A total of 350,000 spectators are expected to attend the matches at BC Place Stadium.
In addition to the matches and the major fan festival, Vancouver Convention Centre will play host to the FIFA Congress in April 2026 — a congregation of 1,600 national representatives, executives, and other members from around the world to discuss the tournament’s future strategy, including the election of the host nations for the FIFA Women’s World Cup tournaments in 2031 and 2035.
The provincial government anticipates that as a result of the tournament, B.C. will see $1 billion in additional GDP, one million additional out-of-province visitors, and over $1 billion in additional visitor spending over the period between 2026 and 2031. This could also translate into up to $224 million in additional direct, indirect, and other related provincial tax revenues. Over this same period, over 18,000 jobs could also be generated.
FIFA’s separate economic impact assessment is also rosy, covering the period between June 2023 and August 2026. The international federation for the world’s most popular sport forecasts up to $1.7 billion in economic benefits for B.C., including a $980 million increase to GDP and $610 million in labour income.
BC Place Stadium in Vancouver during the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup. (BC Place Stadium)
There will also be benefits from the capital upgrades to Killarney Park, which will serve as one of the two temporary training sites for the official teams, as well as BC Place Stadium, including a new video board to replace the existing aging equipment, new and improved fan zones, accessibility upgrades including new additional elevators, and other improvements.
BC Place Stadium will continue to benefit from these upgrades long after the tournament ends. It remains to be seen whether the natural turf installed for the tournament will become a permanent fixture of the venue.
“As we continue our journey toward FIFA World Cup 26, our focus at PavCo is on building a lasting legacy at BC Place. The critical upgrades underway will ensure the stadium remains a premier destination for world-class events, while placing inspirational experiences and community at the forefront of every step forward,” said Ken Cretney, the president and CEO of PavCo, which is the provincial Crown corporation that owns and operates BC Place Stadium and Vancouver Convention Centre.
Memorial South Park had previously been slated for upgrades for its temporary use as a training site. However, due to local resident opposition, the City made the decision in January 2025 to relocate this training site to the 2017-built National Soccer Development Centre at the University of British Columbia — the training site of the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. This move to an existing purpose-built facility is also expected to result in cost savings.
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