Vancouver officially in the running to host men's FIFA 2026 World Cup games

After a change of heart by the province, FIFAhas now namedVancouver as an official candidate to hold games during the men's 2026 World Cup tournament co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.

In a release, the organization that governs international soccer said both the province and City of Vancouver have submitted documents to join the candidate host city process, with B.C. Place as the proposed stadium.

"...aswell as recent inspection visit by a FIFA delegation, world football's governing body has agreed to accept the city's candidacy," it said.

B.C. Placeis owned by the province.Vancouver could host between three to five games if selected, according to earlier reports. Torontoand Edmonton are also potential host Canadian cities.

Melanie Mark, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport,told CBC the estimated cost of hosting games is between $240 million and $260 million. She saidFIFA was aiming to announce the list ofsuccessful bidders next month.

In 2018, then B.C. tourism minister Lisa Beare said officials looking into a bid wereunable to clarify how much the province would be expected to contribute to the cost of hosting. Beare said the terms presented by the committee included FIFA being able to unilaterally change the stadium agreement at any point.

But Mark said the pandemic has prompted Premier John Horgantomandate her ministry to support the tourism and sport sector's recovery from the impactof COVID-19.

"We're in a different time," she said. "The world was frozen for two years because of the global healthpandemic. And tourism, arts, culture and sport, people couldn't gather, they couldn't celebrate ... This is an opportunity to support our economy and support jobs, and that's the main objective."

According to Mark, the economic impact of hosting games could add upto $1 billion through 2029.

Last month, Mayor Kennedy Stewart announced Vancouverwould put up to $5 million toward a provincial bid to bring 2026 World Cup games to the city, more than triplingthe $1.5 million the city spent hosting women's 2015 World Cup games in Vancouver.

The 2026 tournament will bring together 48 nations, up from 32 in the men's 2022 Qatar World Cup, which startsin November.

Sixty of the total 80 matches in 2026 are expected to be played in the U.S., with Canada and Mexico hosting 10 each.

Canada's men's soccer team recently qualified for this year'sWorld Cup. As a host nation, Canada receives automatic entry into the 2026 tournament.