The City of Vancouver says itB次元官网网址檚 unable to give a complete estimate of costs associated with hosting 2026 FIFA World Cup matches because it is hosting two more games than originally anticipated.
The original cost, released by the provincial government at the end of January 2023, pegged the bill for hosting five World Cup matches as $230 million, with much of that money going towards event security.
But with the addition of hosting two more games the original estimate is out of date, the city said.
B次元官网网址淲e will be assessing the impacts of delivering seven matches against current assumptions in order to update these estimates,B次元官网网址� the city said in its statement.
B次元官网网址淲hile weB次元官网网址檙e still in the early stages of analyzing the impact of hosting seven matches, we expect to see increased revenue opportunities from commercial partners and match day sales.B次元官网网址�
The city said it is discussing the additional games with FIFA B次元官网网址� the international body governing soccer B次元官网网址� to determine anticipated costs and benefits, with no set date for the information to be released.
But a sports economic expert said estimates for any large scale sporting event tend to be wrong.
B次元官网网址淭he fact that the cost estimate, regardless of how many games, is going to be different is not surprising at all,B次元官网网址� said Brian Soebbing, a professor at the University of Alberta.
B次元官网网址淏ecause the majority of studies that have looked at the cost of hosting mega events, whether youB次元官网网址檙e talking about Olympics, World Cup, et cetera, the costs themselves are generally underestimated.B次元官网网址�
Soebbing also raised doubts about the economic benefits host cities tend to proclaim when hosting large scale sporting events.
B次元官网网址淧art of the idea of economic impact is youB次元官网网址檝e got these visitors who are coming for the sole purpose of going to the World Cup. But Vancouver in and of itself is a very good tourist city in any year, right?
B次元官网网址淭here are going to be people who were going to go to Vancouver but are not going to go to Vancouver because of the World Cup.B次元官网网址�
Part of the issue, Soebbing said, is the fans coming for the World Cup will push out regular tourist groups or tours that would come to Vancouver and the region at the same time, meaning the economic benefit of sports fans is balanced out by the loss of other groups.
The cost estimate for hosting does not include renovating B.C. Place, with PavCo B次元官网网址� the Crown corporation that owns the stadium B次元官网网址� putting out a request for proposal in December for a construction manager to oversee work needed.
PavCoB次元官网网址檚 RFP for a construction manager indicates B.C. Place, which turned 40 last year, will need more VIP suites and hospitality space on the stadiumB次元官网网址檚 third level, an upgrade to food-court concessions, renovation of washrooms and installation of more elevators.
Toronto and Vancouver are the Canadian cities set to host matches during the 2026 World Cup, which will also be played across the United States and Mexico.
The cost of hosting additional games is an issue affecting Toronto as well.
The City of Toronto estimates it will cost $380 million to host World Cup matches in the city, an increase of $80 million compared to a 2022 forecast partly because of the addition of another match to the schedule.
The cost increase also includes an evaluation of vendor quotes, safety and security requirements and inflationary uncertainty.
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