With just over six months until Vancouver hosts seven FIFA World Cup matches, fans in British Columbia may be thinking twice about going to games—simply because they find it unaffordable. In fact, a new Angus Reid Institute survey suggests the majority of Canadians, seven in 10, believe the tickets are just too expensive “It’s got a lot of people in this province and in the country asking, you know, is this FIFA tournament for the elites or is it for everyone?” said Shachi Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute. The poll also found 52 per cent of Canadians would treat tickets as an investment if they could get them, hoping to resell at a higher price. “Most people can’t afford that kind of stuff, it’s kind of like the Taylor Swift concert, I don’t understand how people afford to do that either,” one Vancouverite told CTV News. Beyond affordability, the poll shows skepticism about the value of hosting. Canadians largely don’t believe the tournament is worth it unless the country turns a profit. At the same time, the fact that Canada will play, as well as the spectacle that the event brings, is leading to excitement. “There’s always drama around FIFA tournaments, so that drama will always naturally take on its own course and its own life. And those who are paying attention, or even those who are not, might get caught up in, in some of the enthusiasm,” said Kurl. The projected cost of hosting Vancouver’s seven matches, funded by all levels of government, is estimated at $750 million. The Angus Reid Institute survey was conducted online from Oct. 7 to 11 among a randomized sample of 2,031 Canadian adults who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of that size would carry a margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points, 19 times out of 20, according to pollsters.
