Canada Soccer

[IanO]

It won't be 200 million for Edmonton, but rather something around 100 million or so.

-Security (not insignificant these days)
-Promotion/advertising
-Stadium/field upgrades
-Other infrastructure upgrades including transit
-Transit costs for the event due to extra buses, park and rides, overtime, security
-VIP hosting
-Media infrastructure
-Ancillary events, off-site entertainment ie. fan fest
-Staffing for the base committee, consultants
-General hosting costs

The bigger question for me is 'what's the total ROI' including legacy infrastructure and global exposure.

 

[TAS]

Can someone explain why over $200M of government support is needed to support 4 games? Where is all this money going to?

Commonwealth Stadium does need some notable upgrades to continue to serve future events well.
I don't think just saying 4 games gives enough context to the value of spending the money.
Hosting includes 34 days of fan fests at multiple sites in the city, 220,000 spectators attending games, hundreds of millions in economic activity, too.

But yes, it's a big investment. Interestingly, LA has its recently built SoFi stadium that cost upwards of $5billion. Its an NFL stadium and its pitch is too small for FIFA so they are looking at raising the grass field above ground and remove seats to accommodate the requirements at a huge cost. Our Stadium upgrades will benefit us long term versus LA which will be removed as soon as FIFA exits.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/theparadise.ng/stan-kroenke-faces-pitch-size-headache-ahead-of-world-cup-2026/amp/

 

[BASE]

While in LA they are looking to raise their pitch and remove seats, I am hopeful in Edmonton they lower the pitch and add seats to bring fans closer to the action.

 

[Gronk!]

We should be hearing word today

https://twitter.com/x/status/1527692281167237120

 

[CplKlinger]

We should be hearing word today

https://twitter.com/x/status/1527692281167237120

Are you sure? According to TSN, the announcement is planned for June 16. Also, apparently FIFA is planning to have three host stadiums in Canada and Mexico, meaning that theoretically, all three Canadian cities will be chosen; the real question will be what games they get. Hopefully this ends up being true.

FIFA plans to announce 2026 World Cup sites on June 16 - TSN.ca

FIFA intends to announce the 2026 World Cup sites during a news conference in New York on June 16.

www.tsn.ca

 

[CaptainBL]

We should be hearing word today

https://twitter.com/x/status/1527692281167237120

Are you sure? According to TSN, the announcement is planned for June 16. Also, apparently FIFA is planning to have three host stadiums in Canada and Mexico, meaning that theoretically, all three Canadian cities will be chosen; the real question will be what games they get. Hopefully this ends up being true.

FIFA plans to announce 2026 World Cup sites on June 16 - TSN.ca

FIFA intends to announce the 2026 World Cup sites during a news conference in New York on June 16.

www.tsn.ca

I think the discrepancy is that they announced that they will be making an announcement. Today's announcement is that they will make an announcement on June 16th.

 

[BASE]

High hopes that Edmonton will be included in the hosts but I think it will be 3 host cities in Canada instead of what we once hoped could be just 2.

 

[TAS]

High hopes that Edmonton will be included in the hosts but I think it will be 3 host cities in Canada instead of what we once hoped could be just 2.

I think FIFA always wanted three. And if so, were in as long as provincial funding is still there if it's only four (hopefully) or three games.

 

[EdmTrekker]

I think FIFA always wanted three. And if so, were in as long as provincial funding is still there if it's only four (hopefully) or three games.

The UCP "conditional" support was announced with Kenney and his ghost advisors on loan from US Republican Party operatives. Kenney is now a lame duck and the longer he stays "on the job" the more severe will be the feather plucking and he may never survive to fly again. Had Kenney left immediately he may have saved some of his dignity and all his feathers. Besides naming host cities ... when will dates be announced for the host cities.

 

[ChazYEG]

The UCP "conditional" support was announced with Kenney and his ghost advisors on loan from US Republican Party operatives. Kenney is now a lame duck and the longer he stays "on the job" the more severe will be the feather plucking and he may never survive to fly again. Had Kenney left immediately he may have saved some of his dignity and all his feathers. Besides naming host cities ... when will dates be announced for the host cities.

Dates don't come out until very close to the event (late 2025, early 2026).
We still don't have dates for the 2022 and it's May already (for a December event).

 

[Ned]

Are there any updates? There has been little coverage in the local media. The last I heard was American soccer reporter Grant Wahl saying that Edmonton's bid is in jeopardy and could be given away to Baltimore/Washington.

 

[Gronk!]

Let's wait until June 16 when the official announcement is supposed to occur, OK?

 

[TAS]

Let's wait until June 16 when the official announcement is supposed to occur, OK?

Yup, just about there. It's been going on 5ish years now and about to finally find out.

FiFA says a big priority is growing the game outside major North American centres so I really hope that is and should be a factor in Edmonton's (and the Prairies of Canada) favor. Plus, this city delivers.

 

[God]

 

[BASE]

Those are very cool, thank you for sharing. The midfield tunnel is a neat addition I hadn't thought of. I had hoped they would add some seats closer to the field but that doesn't look like it is part of the vision.