How much will World Cup games in Vancouver cost? Depends how you’re counting

With just two weeks to go until the FIFA World Cup kicks off, the province has finally released an updated cost estimate for hosting.

The B.C. government provided its long-awaited update on the cost of hosting FIFA World Cup games in Vancouver Friday, showing the tournament is either getting more expensive or more affordable, depending on how you look at it.

The gross cost of hosting seven matches at B.C. Place starting next month is now estimated at between $685 million and $729 million, according to the updated figures the province released Friday.

That’s more than $100 million a match at the high end, and a substantial increase from last year’s estimates of $532 million to $624 million.

However, the provincial government says it’s expecting the bulk of the cost to be offset by revenue generated by a 2.5 per cent tax on short-term accommodations in the City of Vancouver, plus contributions from the federal government and other revenue streams.

The new projections call for between $595 million and $615 million of the gross cost to be offset by this revenue, leaving the net cost of hosting somewhere between $90 million and $114 million.

At the high end, this is a decrease in the province’s estimate of the net cost of hosting games, which was pegged at $145 million in the June 2025 calculations.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, this decrease was the focus of prepared remarks from B.C. Minister of Arts, Culture and Sport Anne Kang and Minister of Jobs and Economic Development Ravi Kahlon during a news conference announcing the numbers Friday.

“Hosting FIFA World Cup 2026 is an incredible opportunity to welcome the world, while supporting local businesses, creating jobs and delivering lasting benefits for B.C.’s economy,” said Kang, in a statement accompanying the announcement.

“Thanks to careful planning, disciplined financial management and participation from our partners, the province’s projected overall net provincial costs of hosting FIFA World Cup 2026 matches have been reduced by $31 million compared to 2025 estimates.”

What changed?

According to the province, the previous estimates included significant uncertainties.

It was unknown, in June 2025, which teams would be playing matches in Vancouver. The FIFA Fan Festival at the PNE was also in its early planning stages at the time, and there have since been “further refinements of FIFA requirements” and more-detailed security planning done.

The revised estimates shared Friday reflect this additional information, but officials noted that some uncertainties—such as which teams will play in the city’s two knockout stage games—remain.

The knockout stage matchups could affect safety and security costs, as could other “world events,” according to the province.

Who pays what?

Safety and security makes up a significant portion of the total cost of hosting, estimated at $242 million in Friday’s update. The province’s figures don’t break down that total further or attribute it to specific payers such as the city or the provincial government.

The City of Vancouver’s share of the gross cost of hosting is estimated at $320 million to $338 million, with another $67 million to $74 million attributed to “public sector service providers.”

A further $178 million to $185 million will fall to PavCo, the Crown corporation that owns and operates B.C. Place. Those costs are for capital upgrades to the stadium—which the province says were completed on time and on budget—and stadium operating costs during the tournament.

The remaining $120 million to $132 million is filed under “province and other public sector entities.”

These gross expenses are all attributed to entities at the provincial, regional and municipal levels. Federal contributions toward the costs are counted as revenue offsetting the junior governments’ expenses.

Offsetting revenue

The feds are due to contribute $116 million toward hosting costs through Sport Canada and another $100 million specifically for public safety and security costs.

The combined $216 million represents about a third of the revenue the province cites as offsetting the gross cost of hosting.

Another $250 million to $260 million is expected to come from the Major Events Municipal and Regional District Tax, a 2.5-per-cent levy on short-term accommodations in the City of Vancouver that was imposed in 2023 and is slated to run through 2030.

In its first three years of operation, from Feb. 1, 2023 through March 31, 2026, the tax generated approximately $105.7 million, which was collected by the province and remitted to the city, according to Friday’s update.

The province says the tax—which is paid by visitors to Vancouver staying in local accommodations—is on track to meet its revenue projections.

The remaining offsets calculated by the province include $86 million in “other revenue,” including from the FIFA Fan Festival at the PNE, and unspecified “City of Vancouver/ Park

Board revenue used to offset city hosting costs," totalling $43 million to $53 million.

Economic boost not part of the calculation

Notably absent from the province’s math is any tax revenue generated from the purported boost to GDP that hosting the tournament is expected to bring.

The government’s presentation on hosting costs notes that Taylor Swift’s three Vancouver shows at the end of the Eras Tour in December 2024 are estimated to have generated $147 million in economic activity and yielded $27 million in total tax revenue across all three levels of government.

That same year, hosting the Grey Cup at B.C. Place generated an estimated $122 million in economic benefits, according to the province.

“Potential tax revenues from the FIFA World Cup 2026 have not been assumed in updated revenue estimates,” the government said, though it did include a slide about “long-term economic benefits” in its presentation.

These purported benefits include an estimated one million additional visitors to B.C. between 2026 and 2031 due to the tournament itself and the exposure it creates for Vancouver and the province.

Over the same period, the province claims an additional $1 billion in GDP can be expected, with more than $200 million in “direct, indirect and other related provincial tax revenues” coming as a result.

“Hosting the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Vancouver is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to showcase British Columbia to the world, while delivering lasting economic benefits at home,” said Kahlon, in the statement.

“Through our Look West strategy, we’re using this global attention to attract investment, grow our economy and position B.C. as a top destination for business and investment.”