Vancouver has been confirmed as a host city candidate for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The tournament, like the Olympics, only happens once every four years.
“More than 3.5 billion people watch the World Cup every four years,” says BC’s Minister of Sport, Melanie Mark. “Becoming a host city and putting the global spotlight on B.C. would, once again, inspire travellers from around the world to come, stay and play.”
She says the soccer tournament is the largest single sporting event in the world, and that hosting it would be a once in a generation opportunity for soccer fans and the tourism sector. Citing estimates from Destination BC and BC Stats say that hosting would bring more than one billion dollars to the tourism industry during the tournament and in the five years following.
This after the Canadian women’s team won a gold medal last year in Tokyo, and the men’s team qualified for this year’s world cup taking place in Qatar. The men’s qualification marks the first time Canada will appear in a tournament since 1986.
“The stars are aligning for Canada Soccer, British Columbia and Vancouver. It’s time we showcase beautiful B.C. once again,” says Mark. “We have given it our best shot. We look forward to FIFA announcing the host cities in the coming weeks and are hopeful that Vancouver will be selected.”
Story by: Nicholas Arnold – nicholas@vistaradio.ca
